^ 


I 


HISTORY 


OF 


WARE,   MASSACHUSETTS 


A    VIEW    OF    WARE    VILLAGE, 
MASSACHUSETTS 

Taken  from  Prospect  Hill  near  the  North- 
ampton Road.    Copyright  entered  in  1837. 


HISTORY 


OK 


WARE,    MASSACHUSETTS 


BY 

ARTHUR    CHASE 


FOR    SALE    BY 

W.  B.  CLARKE  CO. 

26  &  28  TREMONT  STREET 

BOSTON 


Copyright.  1911 
By  Ahthob  Chase 


TJTK    TNIVER8ITY    PRESS,    CAMnRIDOE,    V.  8.  A. 


TO 
THE    PEOPLE    OF   WARE 

AMONG    WHOM    I    HAVE    DWELT    FOR    SIXTEEN    YEARS 
AS    IN    A    MANOUR    OF    PEACE 


PREFACE 

In  the  preparation  of  this  history  the  official  sources  have  been 
consulted,  and  documents  are  quoted  verbatim  et  literatim.  The 
State  Archives,  the  Registries  of  Deeds,  the  Probate  offices,  and  the 
records  of  the  various  Courts,  have  each  given  their  quota  of  infor- 
mation concerning  the  early  affairs  of  the  town,  as  have  also  the  Pro- 
prietor's Records  of  the  Elbow  Tract,  and  our  local  Town,  Parish 
and  Church  records. 

Without  the  invaluable  material  embodied  in  the  Historical 
Address  of  the  Hon.  William  Hyde  in  1847,  and  the  equally  im- 
portant investigations  published  by  Mr.  Edward  H.  Gilbert  in 
1891  in  his  "Early  Grants,"  it  would  not  have  been  possible  for 
the  present  writer  to  have  covered  the  ground  in  the  time  at  his 
command.  Being  started  on  the  right  track  by  these  writers,  it 
has  been  possible  to  work  intelligently  and  with  little  uncertainty. 
At  the  same  time,  the  whole  ground  has  been  gone  over  from  the 
beginning,  for  the  writer's  own  satisfaction,  and  in  order  to  put 
what  was  already  clearly  enough  stated  into  a  larger  setting.  A 
great  number  of  minor  records,  sermons,  addresses,  and  publications 
of  various  sorts  have  been  examined,  and  thanks  are  due  to  all  who 
have  placed  such  materials  at  the  disposal  of  the  writer.  The  ma- 
terial brought  to  light  suggests  the  probability  that  much  more, 
both  of  value  and  of  interest,  is  still  in  existence,  and  might  be  col- 
lected if  there  were  a  Historical  Society  in  the  town.  As  for  the 
various  Registries  and  Court  Records,  they  are  a  mine  of  wealth 
almost  inexhaustible. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  apologize  for  the  omission  of  some  matters 
frequently  embodied  in  town  histories.  The  limitations  of  space 
make  it  necessary  to  set  bounds,  and  on  doubtful  topics  the  writer 
has  happily  found  himself  in  accord  with  the  judgment  of  the 
Committee. 


viii  PREFACE 

That  tliis  book  is  free  from  errors  is  not  to  be  expected.  Iner- 
rancy would  place  it  in  a  class  by  itself.  But  every  effort  has  been 
made  to  get  at  the  fact.  Traditions,  always  uncertain,  have  not 
\)een  accepted  without  careful  scrutiny,  and  many  have  been  rejected 
as  incompatible  with  known  facts.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
chissic-  error  regarding  the  Narragansett  Company,  so  widely  copied 
in  earlv  sketches  of  the  town  history,  may  be  finally  buried. 

There  has  been  no  attempt  at  a  uniform  spelling  of  proper  names, 
l>ecHuse  no  such  uniformity  ever  existed. 

The  book  will  have  served  its  purpose  if  it  succeeds  in  stimulating 
an  interest  in  the  past,  and  in  awakening  a  pride  in  the  best  achieve- 
ments of  the  present,  built  upon  solid  foundations. 


ARTHUR  CHASE. 


Ware,  Massachl-setts, 
May  i-?,   1911 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  March,  1909,  the  town  appointed  a 
committee  to  arrange  for  an  appropriate  celebration  of  the  one 
hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  its  incorporation. 

The  suggestion  was  made  at  that  time  that  the  occasion  was 
suitable  for  the  publication  of  a  history  of  the  town.  Up  to  this 
time  the  only  published  matter  of  such  a  nature  was  Hon.  William 
Hyde's  "  Historical  Address,"  delivered  at  the  dedication  of  the  old 
town  hall  in  1847,  and  Col.  E.  H.  Gilbert's  painstaking  monograph 
on  the  "  Early  Grants  and  Incorporation  of  the  Town  of  Ware," 
printed  in  1891.  The  necessarily  limited  scope  of  these  works  left 
open  a  wide  field  for  the  historian  with  the  additional  sources  of 
information  now  available. 

The  committee  was  desirous  of  entrusting  the  preparation  of  the 
history  to  a  resident  of  the  town  if  possible.  They  regard  them- 
selves as  fortunate  in  having  enlisted  the  interest  of  Rev.  Arthur 
Chase,  rector  of  Trinity  Episcopal  Church,  to  whose  hands  the  work 
was  committed.  His  historical  insight,  untiring  search  for  original 
material,  and  literary  ability  have  combined  to  produce  a  history 
which  we  believe  will  stand  as  authoritative  and  which  redounds 
not  only  to  his  own  credit,  but  to  that  of  the  town. 


Henry  K.  Hyde,  Chairman^ 
Edward  P.  Morse,  Secretary^ 
Frederick  D.  Gilmore,  Treasurer, 
J.  H.  Grenville  Gilbert, 
James  E.  Clark, 


>    Committee 


CONTENTS 

Page 

I   Topography 3 

II   The  Manour  of  Peace 12 

III  Settling  on  the  Land 33 

IV  The  Parish 58 

V   Parish  Life  and  Growth 81 

VI   Secular  Matters 113 

VII   The  Colonial  Wars  and  the  Revolution; 

French  and  Indian  Wars 131 

VIII   Roads  and  Bridges 161 

IX   Later  Religious  Societies 177 

X   The  Civil  War 197 

XI   Miscellaneous  Town  Subjects 219 

XII   The  Map 261 

Summary 280 

Index 281 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

A  view  of  Ware  Village,  Massachusetts Frontispiece 

Original  plan  of  the  Read  Manour  (reduced) 20 

The  Manour  (reduced).     From  a  survey  made  in  1769     .    .  27 

Plan  of  the  Marsh  Tract.  From  a  survey  made  in  1733  41 
Plan  of  Farm  of  Mr.  Samuel  Prince.     From  a  survey  made 

in  1714 43 

Plan  of  the  Marsh  Tract.     From  a  survey  made  in  1742  49 

Town  of  Ware.     From  a  survey  made  in  April,  1795    ...  54 

View  of  Ware -1878 81 

The  Meeting-house  at  the  Centre 105 

The  Rich  House 105 

Rev.  Augustus  Brown  Reed  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Melinda 

Borden  Reed 109 

Rev.  Ezra  Thayer's  House 116 

The  Gould  Tavern  at  Ware  Centre      116 

The  Babcock  Tavern 119 

Bird's-eye  view  of  Ware 130 

The  Lafayette  Elm 139 

Residence  of  Samuel  Morse 144 

The  Old  Tavern  Building 156 

The  Lamberton  House 161 

"  The  Narrows  "  in  Grenville  Park 161 

View  of  Ware  in  1884 167 

The  South  Street  Bridge 174 

Plan  of  land  in  Ware  known  as  "  The  Common  " 176 

Millsof  Otis  Company— 1854      182 

Mill  and  Residence  of  Charles  A.  Stevens— 1854     ....  189 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

George  H.  Gilbert's  Woollen  Mill- 1854 197 

Ware  Village  — about  1845 219 

The  Old  Stone  Grist-mill  and  Furnace  Bridge 226 

Phelp's  Hotel— 1854 236 

The  Hampshire  Manufacturers'  Bank 245 

Ware  Centre 253 

Map  of  the  Town  of  Ware,  showing  Original  Estates  .    .    .  261 


HISTORY   OF    WARE 


HISTORY  OF  WARE 


Topography 

The  town  of  Ware,  Massachusetts,  lies  in  the  south-east 
corner  of  Hampshire  County.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Enfield  and  Hardwick,  on  the  east  by  that  section  of 
Hardwick  formerly  known  as  the  Gore,  and  by  West  Brook- 
field.  New  Braintree  just  touches  Ware  line  where  the  four 
towns  of  Hardwick,  New  Braintree,  West  Brookfield  and 
Ware  come  together.  W^arren  borders  Ware  a  few  rods  on 
the  east  and  south,  covering  the  south-east  corner  at  the  top 
of  Coy's  Hill.  Southerly  the  town  borders  on  Palmer,  and 
on  the  west  the  Swift  River  separates  it  from  Belchertown. 

The  town  consists  of  a  series  of  valleys  running  north  and 
south  with  ridges  between.  The  Ware  River  Valley  is  on 
the  east  side,  with  Coy's  Hill  rising  from  it  easterly  of  the 
southern  portion. 

Muddy  Brook,  flowing  out  of  Hardwick  Pond,  makes  the 
next  valley  westward.  Through  the  centre  of  the  town  runs 
Flat  Brook,  dividing  it  into  two  nearly  equal  parts,  while 
farther  to  the  west  is  the  Beaver  Brook  Valley.  Again  low 
meadow-lands  border  on  the  Swift  River  at  the  extreme 
west. 

In  the  north-east  corner,  between  Ware  River  and  Muddy 
Brook,  the  land  rises  to  a  height  of  1000  feet  on  the  southern 
slopes  of  McDougal  Mountain,  and  attains  the  same  alti- 
tude on  the  top  of  Coy's  Hill  east  of  the  river  in  the  south- 
east corner.  Between  Muddy  Brook  and  Flat  Brook  the 
land  reaches  a  height  of  GOO  feet,  and  was  formerly  known  as 
Bond's  Hill.  Between  Flat  Brook  and  Muddy  Brook  is  the 
Brimstone  Hill  range,  850  feet  high  in  the  north  and  500 
feet  in  the  south  of  the  town.  West  of  Beaver  Brook  is  the 
Swift  River  Hill,  which  attains  a  height  of  800  feet. 


4  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

There  are  no  natural  ponds  within  the  town  limits.  INIany 
artificial  ones,  however,  have  been  made  by  dams  built  in 
the  brooks  for  the  creation  of  power  to  run  a  multitude  of 
small  mills.  Snow's  Pond  on  jNIuddy  Brook,  the  pond  on 
Beaver  Brook  at  Pepper's  Mills,  and  Harwood's  Pond  on 
Flat  Brook  are  practically  all  that  exist  today.  The  largest 
pond  of  the  past,  and  undoubtedly  the  earliest,  was  that 
known  as  Beaver  Lake.  The  brook  was  dammed  at  a  point 
near  the  Club  House  soon  after  the  settlement  of  the  town. 
An  important  pond  industrially  was  the  one  on  Flat  Brook 
at  ^Yare  Centre. 

Besides  the  more  important  water-courses,  several  others 
are  mentioned  in  ancient  deeds.  Penny  Brook  flows  into 
Beaver  Brook  just  before  the  latter  enters  Ware  River. 
Rattlesnake  Brook  flows  down  from  Rattlesnake  Hill  into 
Ware  River  from  the  east  about  a  mile  north  of  the  village. 

The  Name  of  the  Town 

The  town  takes  its  name  from  the  river  that  crosses  its 
territory.  The  name  of  the  latter  is  said  by  those  familiar 
with  Indian  lore  to  be  a  translation  of  the  name  Nenameseck, 
given  to  it  in  primitive  times  by  the  aborigines.  This  word 
Nenameseck  or  Nenamesick  (for  it  has  a  variety  of  spell- 
ings) means  "fishing  basket"  or  "fishing  weir,"  pronounced 
ware.  The  natives  applied  the  name  to  the  places  where  the 
weirs  were  built,  while  the  English  used  it  as  the  name  of 
the  stream.  These  weirs  were  set  at  the  foot  of  the  falls, 
and  were  employed  for  capturing  the  salmon  with  which  the 
river  once  abounded.  During  the  season  while  the  salmon 
were  running  the  Indians  congregated  at  certain  points  along 
the  stream,  building  temporary  camps,  and  caught  the  fish 
both  while  ascending  and  descending.  The  fish  while  de- 
scending were  taken  in  the  traps.  The  weirs  were  rough 
walls  of  stone  which  formed  a  substructure  for  stakes  and 
brush,  reaching  out  from  either  bank  and  slightly  down 
stream  until  they  nearly  met,  and  the  large  coarsely-woven 
basket  was  placed  at  the  opening.  One  famous  fishing-spot 
was  at  the  falls  of  the  river  where  the  mills  now  stand.  The 
Indians  would  come  from  the  old  Indian  village  at  Brook- 


TOPOGRAPHY  5 

field  by  the  trail  that  became  later  the  Bay  Path.  Their 
camp  was  probably  just  above  the  river  on  the  east 
bank.  It  is  said  that  numerous  relics  have  been  found 
between  the  river  and  the  Boston  and  Maine  freight- 
house. 

Another  Indian  trail  followed  the  route  of  the  Boston 
Post  Road,  crossing  Colonel's  Mountain  from  Warren,  and 
fording  the  river  at  the  ancient  ford-way  near  the  Lam- 
berton  place  —  now  owned  by  George  F.  Brown.  Indian 
relics  found  north  of  the  road  on  this  farm  indicate  a  camp, 
and  a  near-by  fishing  place.  It  is  said  that  there  is  no  evi- 
dence of  any  permanent  Indian  village  within  our  territory. 
Such  villages  were  situated  in  places  like  Brookfield,  where 
the  rich  meadows  supplied  the  necessary  corn-lands.  Tra- 
dition has  it  that  a  left-over  family  of  Indians  lived  at  the 
foot  of  Colonel's  Mountain,  on  the  east  side  near  the  double 
spring,  and  that  an  old  Indian  known  as  Big  Panther  used 
to  come  back  every  year  and  pitch  his  wigwam  for  a  month 
in  October  near  the  spring.  A  big  rock  on  the  top  of  Colonel's 
Mountain  is  said  to  be  the  one  on  which  signal  fires  were 
built  in  ancient  days.  Stray  Indians  doubtless  visited  the 
falls  of  Ware  River  for  many  years  after  the  settlers  came 
in  1729.  One  was  known  locally  as  "  Hole-in- the-Rock  " 
from  the  fact  that  once  in  former  years  he  was  surprised  by 
a  hostile  party  of  red  men,  and  escaped  them  by  hiding  in  a 
"pot-hole  "  among  the  rocks  below  the  falls. 

Early  Political  Situation 

It  should  be  noted  that  prior  to  the  year  1742,  at  which 
date  Ware  River  Precinct  came  into  existence,  the  territory 
of  Ware  was  part  of  a  section  of  Hampshire  County  gener- 
ally known  as  the  Elbow  Tract,  or  The  Elbows. 

This  tract  comprised  the  lands  of  the  present  towns  of 
Palmer  and  Ware,  and  received  its  name  at  an  early  date 
from  the  bends  or  "elbows  "  made  by  the  Quabog,  and  the 
Ware  or  Nenameseck  rivers  which  unite  to  form  the  Chico- 
pee.  The  earliest  date  of  the  use  of  the  name  "  The  Elbows  " 
is  found  in  a  petition  to  the  General  Court  in  1731.  It  is 
there  referred  to  as  "A  tract  of  land  called  The  Elbows, 


6  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

lying  between  Hadley  and  Brookfield."  In  the  report  of 
the  Committee  of  the  General  Court,  of  June  21,  1733,^  the 
place  is  called  "The  Elbow  Tract,"  and  as  the  report  of  the 
Committee  was  accepted  by  the  Court,  this  became  its 
legal  name. 

There  were  other  names  of  a  more  or  less  local  nature 
which  should  receive  mention  here.  It  was  at  first  merely 
"A  tract  of  unappropriated  Land  of  this  Province  lying 
between  Brookfield  and  the  Equivalent  Land." 

A  deed  of  1729,  found  in  the  Hampshire  County  records, 
calls  the  place  New  Marlborough.  "James  Mackilwean  of 
New  Marlborough  in  the  County  of  Hampshire  "  etc.,  and 
in  1733  Ellinor  Mackilwean  quitclaims  her  dower  and 
thirds  "to  all  the  lands  and  premises  ...  in  New  Marl- 
borough, which  New  Marlborough  is  now  called  and  named 
Kingstown  in  the  County  of  Hampshire."  In  the  same 
year,  1733,  Mackilwean  describes  himself  as  "of  Kingsfield 
so  called,  formerly  a  place  known  as  the  Elbows." 

About  1741-42  Kingsfield  was  modified  to  Kingston, 
fmd  the  latter  title  was  quite  generally  used  until  another 
town  in  Massachusetts  was  legally  endowed  with  that  name. 

Another  designation  still  was  for  a  time  fastened  upon 
the  northern  portion  of  the  tract.  In  1739  "Samuel  Marsh 
of  a  place  called  Muddy  Brook  "  sells  to  Jeremiah  Anderson 
a  tract  on  the  west  side  of  the  Ware  River  and  adjoining 
thereto.  Also  to  Thomas  Dunsmore  of  Ware  River  land  on 
the  west  side  of  Ware  River,  the  bounds  of  which  "begin  on 
Ware  River  over  against  an  Island  called  Quabbin,  In  Brook- 
field line."  In  1741  "Jonathan  Rood  of  a  place  called  Muddy 
Brook,  between  Hardwick  and  the  Elbows  "  transfers  to 
Paul  Thurston  of  Rutland  20  acres  "in  Muddy  Brook 
aforesaid,  lying  at  the  S.  W.  corner  of  the  206  acres  set 
out  to  me  as  my  share  in  the  original  grant  of  s*^  Muddy 
Brook  land,  granted  to  Thomas  Marsh  and  others."  It  was 
bounded  on  the  west  by  Esq.  Read's  10,000  acres,  and 
"south  by  the  Elbows  or  Kingston  so  called."  In  the  same 
year  Jonathan  Hunt  of  Northampton  sells  to  the  same 
Paul  Thurston  186  acres  of  "land  at  a  place  called  Muddy 
Brook  between  Kingston  and  Hardwick." 

1  See  p.  38. 


TOPOGRAPHY  7 

Thus  we  see  that  the  entire  Marsh  Tract,  from  the  river 
to  the  Manour,  was  known  by  the  name  of  Muddy  Brook. 
That  the  name  did  not  survive  is  due  to  the  fact  that  this 
tract  became  part  of  the  newly  formed  Precinct  of  Ware 
River  in  the  following  year,  1742. 

Every  one  of  the  early  grants  within  our  boundaries  was 
made  before  the  setting  off  of  Ware  River  Precinct,  so  that 
all  our  historic  beginnings  are  bound  up  with  the  Elbows. 

QuABBiN  Island 

This  is  a  smooth,  level  island  of  some  three  acres  lying  in 
Ware  River  near  where  the  four  towns  of  Hardwick,  New 
Braintree,  West  Brookfield  and  Ware  come  together.  The 
island  was  anciently  of  importance  in  determining  boundary 
lines,  not  only  of  towns,  but  of  private  estates.  In  old  deeds 
farms  are  described  as  beginning  at  a  tree  or  at  a  heap  of 
stones  "Over  against  an  island  in  the  Ware  River  called 
Quabbin."  The  Indian  word  "Quabbin  "  is  said  to  signify 
"green,"  a  most  appropriate  designation.  The  name  as 
applied  to  this  island  has  been  lost  locally,  and  the  restora- 
tion is  certainly  worth  while.  The  boundary  stone  between 
Ware  and  Hardwick  stands  on  Quabbin.  The  island  was 
part  of  Sylvester  Bowen's  farm,  and  lies  just  below  the  log 
bridge  which  Bowen  built  across  the  river. 

Mill-Sites 

Saw  and  grist  mills  were  established  at  the  falls  on  W^are 
River  soon  after  1729  by  Jabez  Omstead.  These  are  be- 
lieved to  have  been  the  earliest  mills  within  Ware  territory.^ 

An  iron  furnace,  in  which  the  smelting  was  done  with 
charcoal,  was  built  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river  near  the 
Otis  Company's  dam  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  last  century. 
A  machine  shop  was  established  at  the  same  time  near  the 
South  Street  bridge.  The  map  of  1830  shows  the  furnace, 
machine  shop,  cotton,  woollen  and  grist  mills  grouped  about 
the  falls  at  the  village. 

On  Muddy  Brook  stood  Judah  Marsh's  mills,  of  which 

1  See  p.  49. 


8  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

record  is  made  as  early  as  1752.  They  were  afterwards 
known  as  Harding's  Mills.  The  grist-mill  is  shown  on  the 
map  of  1830,  and  a  saw-mill  on  the  same  spot  is  indicated  on 
the  map  of  1854. 

The  artificial  pond  just  north  of  Aspen  Grove  Cemetery 
has  furnished  power  for  many  years.  In  1828  a  road  is  laid 
out  from  near  the  East  meeting-house  past  "Greenleaf's 
works,  so  called."  Two  years  later  the  same  establishment  is 
referred  to  as  tan  works.  Greenleaf's  Tannery  stood  at  the 
north  of  the  pond.  Stephen  P.  Bailey  ran  a  grist-mill  near 
the  same  place  before  1850.  Snow's  Mills  have  occupied  the 
site  for  the  past  sixty  years.  Marsh's  Mills  were  in  1826 
known  as  Newcome's  Mills.  The  tannery  spoken  of  above 
must  not  be  confounded  with  the  shop  on  North  Street, 
sometimes  spoken  of  as  Tolman's  Tannery,  since  turned  into 
a  tenement  block.  Tolman's  establishment  was  for  finish- 
ing leather,  not  for  tanning.  Work  ceased  at  Tolman's 
some  fifty  years  ago.  Tanning  ceased  at  Greenleaf's  works 
some  twenty-five  years  earlier. 

Flat  Brook  furnished  valuable  power  at  many  points.  A 
mill  stood  at  the  extreme  north  just  below  the  Hardwick 
line,  and  the  outlines  of  the  pond  and  some  of  the  stone  foun- 
dations may  still  be  traced.  No  record  of  this  mill  has  been 
found.  It  had  disappeared  before  1840.  Some  distance 
below  this  mill,  and  far  more  important,  were  the  two  auger 
shops.  The  earliest  of  these  was  situated  at  the  point  where 
the  road  crosses  the  brook  at  the  W.  L.  Brakenridge  place, 
a  little  over  a  mile  above  the  Centre.  Melville  Sncll  op- 
erated the  shop,  which  is  shown  on  the  town  map  of  1830. 
Later  his  brother.  Deacon  Thomas  Snell,  opened  a  second 
shop  below  the  first,  on  the  site  of  an  earlier  grist-mill. 
Both  auger  shops  were  operated  for  a  time,  but  before  long 
the  upper  one  passed  into  the  hands  of  Capt.  Allendcr  Brak- 
enridge who  turned  it  into  a  saw-mill.  He  in  turn  sold  it 
to  Ivory  Harwood,  who  operated  it  for  years.  After  the 
manufacture  of  bits  ceased  at  the  lower  shop,  Harwood 
moved  his  saw-mill  to  the  latter  site. 

W.  L.  Brakenridge  ran  a  little  "coffee-mill"  for  grind- 
ing corn  on  the  brook  through  his  place  just  west  of  the  first 
auger  shop. 


TOPOGRAPHY  9 

A  fulling-mill  for  homespun  linen  was  situated  at  the 
Centre  at  an  early  date  —  probably  not  less  than  a  hundred 
years  ago.  Then  a  man  named  Stearns  put  in  a  shingle 
machine.  His  sons,  Alonzo  and  Isaac,  turned  it  into  a  wagon 
factory.  They  added  a  saw-mill.  Later  the  property  was 
bought  by  Julius  Cowles,  who  continued  to  make  wagons, 
and  added  a  small  grist-mill. 

A  tannery  owned  by  Mr.  Gould  and  operated  by  a  man 
named  Chatman  stood  a  few  rods  below  the  road.  It  had 
stopped  running  seventy  years  ago,  though  the  building  was 
still  standing  at  that  time. 

At  the  mouth  of  Flat  Brook  John  Cummings  built  a  saw- 
mill before  he  went  to  California  in  1849.  The  boys  have  a 
swimming-hole  there  now. 

Beaver  Brook  furnished  several  mill-sites.  Pepper's  Mill 
is  comparatively  modern.  "John  Pepper's  saw-mill  "  is 
first  mentioned  in  1845. 

Saw  and  grist  mills  were  put  up  at  Beaver  Lake  very 
early  —  probably  between  1730  and  1740.  The  power  was 
employed  at  various  periods  until  recent  times. 

A  saw-mill  once  stood  farther  down  Beaver  Brook  on  what 
is  now  the  Averill  place,  identified  as  "Patterson's  old  Saw 
Mill,"  mentioned  in  a  deed  of  1782. 

On  Swift  River  at  "Slab  City,"  afterwards  West  Ware, 
there  was  a  saw-mill  as  early  as  1795.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
still  standing  sixty  years  ago.^  Across  the  river  on  the  Bel- 
chertown  side,  a  paper-mill  stood  for  many  years.  This  mill 
was  burned  about  1866. 

In  1883  the  West  Ware  Paper  Co.  was  incorporated, 
and  a  mill  was  built  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  but  it  was 
unfortunately  destroyed  by  fire  in  April,  1905.  As  the  mill 
was  not  rebuilt.  West  Ware,  once  a  flourishing  little  settle- 
ment, has  dwindled  away. 

Brick  Yards 

In  early  days  brick  was  made  in  Ware  sufficient  for  local 
needs.  The  Pumping  Station  grounds  furnished  clay  from 
which  bricks  were  burned  for  some  of  the  earlier  factory 

^  In  1834  mills  at  this  place  are  spoken  of  as  "Lewis's  Mills." 


10  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

buildings.  Brick  used  also  to  be  made  just  below  the  outlet 
of  Beaver  Lake,  and  it  is  said  that  there  is  still  an  abund- 
ance of  clay  of  fair  quality  in  the  Beaver  Brook  Valley. 
The  difficulty  of  marketing  discourages  manufacture.  A 
third,  known  as  Lawton's  yard,  formerly  Deacon  Hitchcock's 
yard,  was  worked  for  many  years  back  of  the  brick  house  on 
West  Street,  a  mile  below  the  village.  The  deep  red  brick  of 
which  some  of  the  older  parts  of  the  Otis  Company's  build- 
ings are  constructed  was  made  here.  The  clay  gave  out  some 
years  ago  and  the  yard  was  closed. 

Nenameseck  Square 

A  small  open  space  in  front  of  the  Otis  Company's  count- 
ing room  is  one  end  of  the  land  known  as  "the  common," 
which  in  1844  was  cut  up  into  building  lots.  It  preserves  the 
ancient  Indian  name  of  the  place. 

Common  and  Training-ground 

The  only  true  Common  in  town  is  before  the  church  at 
Ware  Centre.  This  space  was  used  for  "trainings  "  in  the 
old  days.  Tradition  says  that  great  crowds  gathered  about 
the  common  on  training  days.  Ebenezer  Nye's  tavern  was 
close  by,  where  was  sold  "rum  enough  to  float  a  battle-ship." 

Parks 

Reservoir  Park,  at  the  head  of  Church  Street,  is  a  small 
public  domain  overlooking  the  town.  The  Pumping  Station 
grounds  furnish  a  ball-field  in  summer  and  skating-pond  in 
winter,  —  both  of  which  are  appreciated  as  places  for  whole- 
some recreation. 

Grenville  Park,  established  through  the  munificence  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  G.  Gilbert  in  memory  of  their  son  Gren- 
ville Brown  Gilbert  in  1907,  is  the  one  true  park  in  town.  It 
lies  between  Church  Street  and  the  river,  extending  from 
the  Otis  Company's  dam  northward  nearly  a  mile.  Drive- 
ways and  walks  have  been  built  throughout  the  park,  trees 
and    shrubs   planted,    and  the  grounds   made  attractive. 


TOPOGRAPHY  11 

Tasteful   gateway's  of  stone  mark  the  entrances,  one  on 
Church  Street  and  the  other  on  Parks  Street. 

The  Long  Swamp 

A  name  given  in  old  documents  to  a  tract  lying  on  the 
very  top  of  Brimstone  Hill,  also  called  Long  Hill.  It  was 
about  400  rods  long,  north  and  south,  and  80  rods  wide. 

The  Irish  Meadow 

A  tract  lying  on  Beaver  Brook,  including  the  artificial 
pond  at  Pepper's  Mills.    Much  of  it  is  bog  land. 

Bullon's  Corners 

Was  a  well-known  "cross-roads"  in  old  times.  It  appears 
to  have  been  the  point  where  the  road  running  west  from  the 
meeting-house  met  the  Boston  Post  Road.  The  northern 
fork  being  discontinued,  the  "Corners"  were  lost. 

The  Bull's  Run 

The  name  anciently  given  to  a  road  in  the  south-western 
part  of  the  town.  It  probably  led  to  the  Bull's  Ford,  a 
little  farther  down  the  river  than  the  ford-way  through 
which  the  Bay  Road  passed. 


II 

The  Manour  of  Peace 

Much  the  larger  portion  territorially  of  the  town  of  Ware 
was  comprised  in  the  estate  of  John  Read,  and  was  named  by 
him  the  "  Manour  of  Peace." 

The  circumstances  by  which  John  Read  gained  possession 
of  this  great  tract  of  more  than  11,000  acres  take  us  back 
to  the  original  settlement  of  the  country.  In  1636,  within  a 
year  of  the  building  of  a  fort  at  Saybrook  by  the  authority 
of  those  who  held  the  Connecticut  Patent,  pioneers  from 
Massachusetts  Bay  settled  at  Hartford,  Windsor,  Wethers- 
field  and  Springfield.  All  of  these  towns  were  on  doubtful 
territory.  Springfield  allied  itself  for  two  years  with  the 
Colony  of  Connecticut,^  but  at  the  same  time  refused  to 
pay  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Connecticut  River. 

In  1642  Massachusetts  had  caused  the  Colony  line  to  be 
surveyed  by  Nathaniel  Woodward  and  Solomon  Saffery. 
According  to  the  original  patent,  the  line  was  to  run  east 
and  west  from  a  point  three  miles  south  of  the  Charles 
River.  Woodward  and  Saffery  located  the  eastern  starting 
point,  but  instead  of  extending  the  survey  across  the  country, 
they  sailed  around  Cape  Cod  and  up  the  Connecticut  -  to  a 
point  they  supposed  to  be  in  the  same  latitude  with  their 
starting  point.  No  wonder  Connecticut  refused  to  acknowl- 
edge their  line! 

For  more  than  sixty  years  the  boundary  was  in  dispute. 
At  last,  in  1713,  Commissioners  from  the  two  Colonies  met 
and  came  to  an  agreement.  They  made  a  report  July  13, 
1713,  which  was  approved  by  each  Colony  in  the  following 
year.  By  the  agreement  Massachusetts  was  to  retain  juris- 
diction over  her  old  border  towns,  though  they  fell  to  the 
south  of  the  Colony  line. 

*  "The  Boundary  Disputes  of  Connecticut,"  by  C.  W.  Bo  wen. 
»  Ibid. 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  13 

For  this  privilege  of  jurisdiction  Massachusetts  agreed  to 
compensate  Connecticut.  For  as  much  territory  as  Massa- 
chusetts governed  south  of  the  true  line,  she  agreed  to  give 
the  same  amount  of  territory  in  unimproved  lands  to  her 
sister  Colony.  The  equivalent  thus  granted  to  Connecti- 
cut, amounting  in  round  numbers  to  100,000  acres,  became 
known  as  the  "Equivalent  Lands." 

It  should  not  be  inferred  that  any  permanent  transfer  of 
territory  from  one  province  to  the  other  was  contemplated 
by  the  authorities.  The  Equivalent  Lands  were  not  for 
colonization,  but  were  intended  as  a  financial  reimbursement 
for  the  loss  in  province  taxes  sustained  by  Connecticut  for 
the  time  being.  When,  some  years  later,  those  same  towns, 
realizing  that  their  interests  lay  with  Connecticut  rather 
than  with  Massachusetts,  petitioned  the  General  Assembly 
to  be  restored  to  their  proper  status,  they  were  permitted 
to  change  their  allegiance  with  but  slight  formality.  Massa- 
chusetts protested,  and  continued  until  the  time  of  the  Rev- 
olution to  levy  taxes,  but  did  not  collect  them.  The  will  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  towns  in  question  determined  their 
final  status. 

On  April  24  and  25,  1716,  a  vendue  was  held  at  Hartford 
for  the  sale  of  the  Equivalent  Lands. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  although  the  lands  had  been 
surveyed,  their  situation  and  character  were  to  a  large  ex- 
tent problematical.  The  only  possible  purchaser  would  be 
a  company  of  Proprietors  that  could  purchase  the  title, 
then  locate  the  lands,  and  eventually  divide  them.  Such  a 
company  was  formed,  and  in  its  behalf  the  lands  were  bid  off 
by  William  Pitkin,  one  of  the  Commissioners  for  the  sale  of 
the  lands,  for  the  sum  of  £683.  This  sum,  the  proceeds  of 
the  sale,  was  voted  to  Yale  College.  The  amount  ob- 
tained ^  gave  great  dissatisfaction  to  the  General  Court  of 
Connecticut,  the  record  of  which  may  be  seen  in  the  "Jour- 
nal of  the  Assembly  "  and  "  Colonial  Boundaries,  Vol.  Ill," 
both  in  the  State  Library  at  Hartford.  Considerable  fault 
must  have  been  found  with  William  Pitkin,  who  bid  off  these 
lands,  as  we  find  in  the  records  of  October,  1716,  the  follow- 
ing report  of  a  committee  of  the  Assembly: 

»  E.  H.  GUbert's  "Early  Grants."     ' 


14  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

This  Court  having  given  William  Pitkin,  Esq.  one  of 
the  Commissioners  for  sale  of  the  Equivalent  Lands  the 
opportunity  of  relating  to  them  the  management  in  and 
about  the  sale  and  purchase  of  the  Equivalents  wherein  he 
supposed  himself  to  be  a  sufferer  by  many  evil  reports  that 
had  been  raised  about  it  to  his  prejudice,  and  also  to  the 
prejudice  of  other  Commissioners  concerned  in  that  affair, 
do  upon  a  full  hearing  declare  that  the  said  Commissioners' 
proceedings  in  the  management  of  that  affair  have  been 
with  a  just  regard  to  the  interest  of  this  Colony,  and  that 
there  is  no  reason  that  they  should  be  supposed  as  failing 
in  their  management  of  what  was  committed  to  them. 

Passed  in  the  Upper  House, 

Test.  Hez.  Wyllys,  Sec'y. 

The  lower  house  is  of  opinion  that  it  is  not  convenient 
for  them  to  pass  any  vote  at  all  upon  this  preceding  bill, 
either  to  affirm  or  deny  the  same. 
Test.  John  Hooker,  Clerk. 


Each  of  the  Proprietors  subscribed  for  one-sixteenth  part 
of  the  whole  tract,  paying  £42„13,,9  for  the  same.  It  was 
a  speculation,  pure  and  simple. 

The  purchasers  were  as  follows: 

Hon  Gurdon  Saltonstall  of  New  London  in  the  said 
Colony,  Esqr.,  Paul  Dudley,  Addington  Davenport,  Thomas 
Fitch  and  Anthony  Stoddard  of  Boston  in  the  said  Province, 
Esqrs,  William  Brattle  of  Cambridge  in  the  same  Province, 
Clerk,  Ebenezer  Pemberton  of  Boston  aforesaid.  Clerk,  Wil- 
liam Dumer  of  the  said  Town  of  Boston,  Merchant,  for  him- 
self and  his  brother  Jeremiah  Dummer,  Esq.,  Jonathan 
Belcher,  Merchant,  John  White,  Gentleman,  both  of  Boston 
aforesaid  and  William  Clark  on  Comon  street  in  Boston 
aforesaid  merchant,  John  Wainwright  of  the  same  Town 
merchant  for  himself,  Henry  Newman  Esq.  and  John  Cas- 
wall  Merchant  both  of  London,  Samuel  Appleton  and 
Addington  Davenport  Esq.  as  feofees  in  trust  for  dame 
Mary  Saltonstall  wife  of  the  aforesaid  Gurdon  Saltonstall 
Esqr.  Nathan  Gold  of  Fairfield  in  said  Colony  Esqr.  for 
himself  and  Peter  Burr  of  the  same  Town.  Esq.  John  Stod- 
dard of  North  Hampton  in  the  said  Province  Esqr.  for 
himself  and  Elisha  Williams  of  Weathersfield  in  the  said 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  15 

Colony  Gentleman,  and  John  Read  of  Lone  Town  in  said 
Colony,  Gentleman} 

Nathan  Gold,  Peter  Burr  and  John  Read  were  neighbors 
in  Fairfield,  Connecticut,  and  were  all  men  of  eminence. 
Gold  was  at  one  time  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  province. 
He  was  brother-in-law  of  John  Read,  the  two  men  having 
married  daughters  of  Lieut.  John  Talcott  of  Hartford,  and 
sisters  of  Gov.  Joseph  Talcott.  Peter  Burr  was  a  noted 
jurist,  called  in  the  old  records  "the  worshipful  Mr.  Peter 
Burr."  2 

These  two  men.  Gold  and  Burr,  on  the  following  January 
sold  their  interests  in  the  land  to  John  Read,  as  may  be  seen 
from  the  following  deed : 

Know  all  men^  by  these  presents  that  we  Nathan  Gold 
&  Peter  Burr  both  of  Fairfield  in  the  Collony  of  Connecticutt 
Esq^  for  divers  good  causes  &  considerations  us  hereunto 
moveing  &  perticularly  for  the  sum  of  Fourty  three  Pounds 
Currant  money  of  this  Collony  to  us  in  hand  paid  before  y^ 
ensealing  of  these  presents,  by  M''  John  Read  of  Lone  Town 
in  y^  County  of  Fairfield  in  the  Collony  of  Connecticutt 
afores^,  have  given  Granted  Remised  Released  &  for  ever 
Quitt  Claimed,  &  do  by  these  presents  for  us  &  our  heirs 
give  grant  Remise  Release  &  for  ever  Quitt  Claime  unto  y^ 
said  John  Read  his  heirs  &  assigns  for  ever,  all  the  Right 
Title  Claime  Interest  Property  use  &  demand  whatsoever 
we  have  or  by  any  means  may  have  of  in  &  unto  all  that  one 
hundred  and  five  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety  three 
acres  of  land  which  was  granted  &  allowed  to  y«  Collony  of 
Connecticutt  by  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  on 
the  late  Settlement  of  the  Divideing  line  between  y^  said 
Province  and  Collony  as  an  equivalent  to  the  S<^  Collony  for 
the  lands  allowed  &  Granted  to  belong  to  the  s«*  province, 
that  fell  to  the  Southward  of  the  line  Lately  run  Between 
the  s"^  province  &  Collony:  All  which  one  hundred  &  five 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety  three  acres  we  the  s<* 
Nathan  Gold  &  Peter  Burr  in  Company  with  several  other 
Gentlemen  in  June  last  Purchased  of  Matthew  Allen,  Joseph 

*  Recorded  in  Sec'y  of  State's  office,  Hartford,  June  29,  1716.  Quoted  by  Mr. 
Gilbert. 

2  Aaron  Burr  was  grandnephew  of  Peter  Burr. 

*  Registry  of  Deeds,  Hampshire  County. 


16  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Talcott,  Roger  Woolcott  &  Aaron  Cook  Esq'■^•  Commis- 
sioners appointed  by  the  Gover"':  &  Company  of  y  English 
Collony  of  Connecticutt  to  sell  the  same  according  to  the 
proportions  Respectively  set  in  the  deed  of  sale  thereupon 
then  made  by  the  Commissioners,  wherein  the  proportion 
&  part  of  the  s"^  Equivalent  lands  to  us  y«  s'^  Nathan  Gold 
&  Peter  Burr  Conveyed  was  one  Intire  Sixteenth  Part 
thereof  as  by  the  s^  deed.  Reference  thereunto  being  had 
may  more  fully  appeare:  the  which  Sixteenth  part  of  the 
S"^  Equivalent  lands  with  y  appurtenances,  we  do  hereby 
Release  and  for  ever  quitt  claim  to  ye  said  John  Read  his 
heirs  &  assigns  forever:  To  have  &  to  Hold  y°  above  Re- 
mised &  Released  Premises  and  appurtenances  with  all 
o^  Right  title,  property,  interest  &  demand  of  in  &  unto  the 
Same  &  Every  part  thereof  to  him  ye  Said  John  Read  his 
heirs  &  assigns  for  ever  against  us  &  each  of  us  o^  &  Each  of 
our  heirs,  &  all  &  every  other  Person  &  Persons  Claiming  or 
that  shall  Claime  from  by  or  under  us  or  Either  of  us:  In 
witness  whereof  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  &  scales 
this  tenth  day  of  January :    In  the  yeare  of  our  Lord  1716/17 : 

Nathan  Gold  &  Scale 
Peter  Burr  &  Scale 

Signed  Sealed  & 

Delivered  in  presence  of 

John  Edwards 

Mary  Edwards 

On  the  Day  &  Yeare  Above  written  the  above  named 
Nathan  Gold  &  Peter  Burr  Esq":  Subscribers  to  the  above 
Instrument  acknowledged  the  same  to  be  their  free  act  and 
deed,  before  me  John  Edwards  Just.  Pac«:  on  the  24* •» 
day  of  March  1720/21:  This  deed  was  Received:  and  was 
then  here  Registred  from  the  original: 

It  should  be  observed  that  this  is  a  quit-claim  deed,  con- 
veying an  entire  sixteenth  part  of  the  whole  tract,  not  a 
definitely-located  piece  of  land.  The  deed,  too,  throws  much 
light  on  the  whole  situation. 

John  Read  thus  becomes  the  owner  of  two-sixteenths  of 
the  Equivalent  Lands. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  purchasers  as  a  company  of  Pro- 
prietors. A  copy  of  the  Proprietors'  Records  was  by  good 
fortune  found  among  the  papers  of  the  Supreme  Court  in 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  17 

the  case  of  Read  vs.  Nivins,  1763  to  1769.^  As  the  paper  is 
of  the  highest  interest,  and  hitherto  unpublished,  it  is  given 
in  full. 

Boston  June  4^'^  1718 

At  a  Meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  the  Equivalent  Lands 
(as  they  are  called)  in  the  County  of  Hampshire,  legally 
warned  and  met  at  the  Green  Dragon  Tavern. 

At  this  Meeting  were  present 

1.  Lieu*  Gov  Dummer  for  himself  &  M""  Agent  Dummer 

2.  M^  Will-"  Clarke  for  Gov^  Saltonstall 

3.  Addington  Davenport  and  Benj»  Lynde  Esq" 

4.  Thomas  Fitch  Esq' 

5.  Jonathan  Belcher  Esq' 

6.  Paul  Dudley  Esq' 

7.  Addington  Davenport  Esq'  for  Dame  Mary  Salton- 
stall 

8.  Anthony  Stoddard  Esq' 

9.  Paul  Dudley  &  Jonathan  Belcher  Esq'^  for  M'  John 
Caswall  and  Mr.  Wainwright 

10.  John  Stoddard  Esq'  for  himself  and  Mr.  Elisha 
Williams 

11.  M'  Jacob  Wendall  for  M'  W"^  Brattle 

12.  M'  John  White 

13.  M'  William  Clarke 

Paul  Dudley  Esq'  Moderator 

Voted.  Anthony  Stoddard  Esq'  Clerk  of  the  said  Pro- 
prietors and  he  was  sworn  to  the  true  &  faithful  Execution 
of  that  Office. 

Attest 

Paul  Dudley  Esq'  Moderator 

Voted.  That  three  whole  Share  Proprietors  w*^  the  Clerk 
may  appoint  a  Meeting  at  any  Time  giving  convenient 
Notice  to  the  Persons  interested 

Voted.  That  Maj'  John  Stoddard  be  Agent  or  Generall 
Attorney  on  y^  Behalf  of  the  Proprietors. 

Boston  June  23  "^  1718 

The  proprietors  of  the  Equivalent  Land  being  regularly 
met  as  well  by  Virtue  of  an  Adjournment  from  the  last 
Meeting  as  by  a  General  Consent  and  Notification 

1  Court  Files,  Suffolk,  No.  157566,  24th  paper. 


18  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  Interested  present  were  the  same  that  were  present 
before  and  M^  Read  for  himself  Deputy  Gov  Gould  [Gold] 
&  M^  Burr. 

Voted.  That  the  Tract  of  Land  in  the  Equivalent  Lands 
laved  out  for  21976  Acres  be  sett  off  for  Six  entire  whole 
Shares  and  be  at  the  Choice  of  any  Six  of  the  proprietors  in 
full  of  their  whole  Shares  Interests  parts  or  proportions  in 
the  whole  of  the  Equivalent  Lands 

And  then  the  Choice  of  the  said  Six  Shares  being  put  to 
the  proprietors  the  Six  persons  that  offered  to  take  the  said 
Land  were 

Addington  Davenport  and  1  ,  p    .       c;, 

Benj.  Lynde  Esq"  |    •    .    .    .    1  l^art  or  bhare 

Thomas  Fitch  Esq' 1  Part 

Paul  Dudley  Esq' 1  Part 

Jonathan  Belcher  Esq'  for        ^ 

himself  &  Mess"  Caswall      V  ...    2  Parts 
and  Wainwright  J 

M'Wilham  Clarke  for  himself     .    .    .    1  Part 
As  Attest 

Paul  Dudley  Esq'  Moderator 

Mett  at  y«  Adjournment  June  30*^  1718 

Voted.  That  the  whole  of  the  Equivalent  Land  shall  be 
a  mutual  Caution  or  Security  to  make  good  the  property  of 
every  proprietor  against  any  just  Claim  or  Challenge  by 
any  Town  or  private  Persons  who  are  not  of  the  partnership 
of  the  Equivalents. 

No  Consideration  to  be  had  as  to  Damage  of  Improve- 
ments. The  28000  Acres  being  proposed  to  y^  proprietors 
were  chosen  as  follows. 

Gov  Saltonstall 1  Share 

Mad™  Saltonstall 1  Share 

Maj'  Stoddard 1  Share 

Mad™  Pemberton 1  Share 

The  Equivalent  Lands  were  divided  generally  thus. 

1  Township     ....    22000  Acres     6  Shares 

2  "  ....    28000      *'         4  Shares 

3  "  ....    46000      "         4  Shares 

4  "  ....    10000      "         2  Shares 

106,000      " 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  19 

The  forty  six  Thousand  Acres  were  chosen  by 

Lieu*  Gov  Dummer 

M'  John  White 

M^  Jacob  Wendall  for  M'  Will-"  Brattle's  Estate 

M'  Anthony  Stoddard 

M""  John  Read  took  for  himself  \  q^,     moon  A 

Deputy  Gov  Gould  and  Maj'  Burr  /  ^^®  ^""""  ^^^^^ 

Unanimously  Voted,  agreed  to  and  confirmed  by  all  the 
sixteen  Shares  or  Interests  being  present 

As  Attest 

Paul  Dudley  Esq:  Moderator 

The  Meeting  of  the  proprietors  is  adjourned  without  Day 
Articles  of  Division  and  Deeds  agreeable  thereto  to  be 
drawn  up  to  be  executed  by  the  several  Proprietors  to  each 
other,    this  also  was  agreed  to. 

Paul  Dudley  Esq''  Moderator 

The  above  is  a  true  Copy  of  the  Votes  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  Equivalent  Lands 

Attest 

Anthony  Stoddard  Clerk 

The  above  is  a  true  Copy  of  the  original  which  is  return'd 
to  John  Worthington  reg''  by  order  of  Court 

Att.  Sam'  Winthrop  Cler. 
[On  the  back  of  paper] 

Suffolk  ss.  Boston  Sept.  12'^  1767 

Then  the  hon*''^  Thomas  Hubbard  Esq""  personally  ap- 
peared and  made  solemn  Oath  that  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  Hand  Writing  of  Anthony  Stoddard  Esq''  and  that 
to  the  best  of  his  Knowledge  the  above  and  within  Writing 
attested  by  said  Anthony  Stoddard  Clerk  that  is  to  say  the 
Words,  Anthony  Stoddard  Clerk,  he  is  fully  persuaded  to  be 
the  Hand  Writing  of  said  Anthony  Stoddard  — 

Before  me  Belcher  Noyes  Justice  o'  Peace. 
Copy  examin'd 

p  Sam'  Winthrop  Cler 
[Endorsed] 

Division  of  the  equivalent  Lands 

Copy 


20  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Thus  we  see  that  John  Read/  by  agreement  of  the  sixteen 
proprietors,  becomes  owner  of  one  single  tract  of  10,000 
acres.  The  tract  has  been  already  surveyed,  as  we  learn 
from  another  paper  found  in  the  Supreme  Court  Files,  being 
part  of  the  evidence  in  the  same  suit,  —  Read  vs.  Nivins.^ 
This  paper  is  an  attested  copy  of  the  original  survey  made 
in  1716,  and  is  of  the  highest  possible  value.  Together  with 
the  paper  is  a  copy  of  the  original  plot  as  drawn  by  the  joint 
surveyors  of  the  two  colonies.    The  paper  is  as  follows: 

Whereas  it  has  been  agreed  upon  &  concluded  by  the 
Commissioners  appointed  and  impowered  by  the  Province 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  on  the  one  Party,  &  Commissioners 
appointed  &  impowered  by  the  Colony  of  Connecticut  on 
the  other  Party,  to  setle  the  dividen  Line  or  Boundary  be- 
tween said  Governments  &c^  That  in  Consideration  there 
had  been  formerly  granted  by  the  said  Province  sundry 
Tracts  &  Quantities  of  Lands  within  said  Colony  there 
should  be  allowed  unto  said  Colony  Lands  equivalent,  to 
be  admeasur'd  &  laid  out  within  s'^  Province  as  by  valid 
Instruments  executed  by  said  Commissioners  doth  appear; 
and  whereas  we  Matthew  Allen  &  Roger  Wolcott  on  the  Part 
of  the  said  Colony  &  Ebenezer  Pomroy  on  the  Part  of  the  said 
Province  are  appointed  and  instructed  to  admeasure  survey 
&  lay  out  the  s^  Equivalent  Lands,  &  having  formerly  laid 
out  several  Tracts  &  Quantities  thereof,  as  by  Report  under 
our  hands  doth  appear.  We  have  now  in  further  prosecution 
of  the  Powers  &  Instructions  to  us  given,  admeasured,  sur- 
veyed, &  laid  out  for  the  said  Colony  the  Quantity  of  ten 
thousand  Acres  of  Land  lying  &  being  within  the  County 
of  Hampshire  wuthin  s'^  Province  on  the  East  Side  of  the 
Swift  River  between  Hadley  &  Broolcfield  &  is  surveyed  & 
laid  out  as  followeth.  We  began  at  a  large  white  Oak  Tree 
standing  in  the  East  Bank  of  the  Swift  River  at  the  foot  of 
the  Bridge  in  the  Common  Road  &  measured  from  thence 
on  a  South  Line  by  the  Needle  of  the  Surveying  Instrument 
one  Mile  &  a  half  to  a  Pine  Tree  standing  on  the  West  Side 
of  a  high  hill  about  half  a  Mile  East  oi  s^  Sivift  River,  from 
w^-*^  Pine  Tree  the  Line  runs  West  &  by  South  to  said  Swift 

'  The  erroneous  tradition  concerning  the  Narragansett  Company  and  the  Falls 
Fight  deed,  as  having  reference  to  Ware,  was  corrected  by  Mr.  Hyde.  It  is  now 
certain  tliat  the  John  Read  of  Westford  who  figures  in  the  deed  was  not  our  John 
Read  at  all.     . 

2  Court  Files,  Suffolk,  No.  157566,  21st  paper. 


ORIGINAL  PLAN  OF  THE  READ  MANOUR  {reduced) 

Dated  April  5, 1716.    Copy  attested  by  Jos.  Marion 

Early  Court  Fiks  No.  157566 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  21 

River  &  from  s'^  Pine  Tree  the  Line  runs  East  &  by  North 
about  one  Mile  to  Ware  River,  &  from  thence  on  the  same 
Point  three  miles  to  a  great  red  Oak  Tree  marked  &  a  heap 
of  Stones  by  it  standing  on  the  side  of  a  hill  close  by  a 
small  Run  of  Water,  &  about  eighteen  Rods  Southerly  of 
the  s'^  Ware  River,  This  Line  is  to  be  the  Southerly  Bounds 
of  the  Land  now  surveyed,  from  said  red  Oak  Tree,  the 
Line  runs  North  by  the  Needle  four  Miles  to  a  small  red 
oak  Tree  marked  with  four  Cutts  with  an  Ax  on  the  South 
&  on  the  West  Side  &  a  heap  of  Stones  laid  about  it,  stand- 
ing about  half  a  Mile  East  of  the  Easterly  Branch  of  Stony 
Brook,  x\nd  from  the  s^  red  Oak  Tree  on  the  same  Point 
sixteen  Rods,  w*^*"  Line  is  to  be  the  East  Boundary  &  from 
the  North  End  of  the  said  sixteen  Rods,  the  Line  runs  West 
&  by  South  unto  the  Swift  River  w'^''  Line  is  to  be  the  Nor- 
therly Bounds  of  the  s^  Lands  And  the  swift  River  as  it 
runs  is  to  be  the  Westerly  Bounds  of  the  s'^  Lands.  Given 
under  our  hands  April  the  fifth  in  the  second  Year  of  our 
Sovereign  Lord  George  by  the  Grace  of  God  King  &c* 
Anno  Dom  1716 

Roger  Wolcot  &  a  Seal  —  Eben'  Pomroy  &  a  Seal 

Matthew  Allyn  &  a  Seal 
Boston  May  21  1716 

Examined  p  Jos.  Marion  Dep*''  Secry 
Copy  as  of  Record 

Attest'  J.  Willard  Secry. 

This  original  survey  has  never  been  superseded,  though  an 
attempt  to  change  the  lines  of  the  tract  was  made  in  1755, 
the  story  of  which  will  be  related  in  its  proper  place.  The 
present  bounds  of  more  than  half  of  our  town  are  identical 
with  those  fixed  by  the  joint  surveyors  appointed  by  the  two 
provinces  in  1716. 

Visiting  the  south-west  corner  of  the  town  in  the  summer 
of  1910  the  writer  observed,  two  or  three  rods  from  the 
recently  erected  boundary  post,  a  circle  of  large  stones  on 
the  bank  of  Swift  River  that  were  evidently  once  piled 
about  a  great  tree;  undoubtedly  the  original  corner  of  the 
grant,  fixed  when  Ware  was  a  part  of  the  primeval  wilder- 
ness. It  is  quite  probable  that  a  careful  perambulation  of 
the  lines  would  reveal  the  location  of  other  ancient  land- 
marks.   One  such  landmark  worth  noting,  mentioned  in  the 


22  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

survey,  is  the  bridge  over  Swift  River,  on  the  country  road 
known  as  the  Bay  Path. 

John  Read  was  a  man  of  sufficient  prominence  and  in- 
terest, both  in  his  relations  with  Ware  and  with  the  Prov- 
inces of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  to  command  our 
attention  at  some  length.  He  was  born  at  Fairfield,  Con- 
necticut, Jan.  29,  1679-80.  His  father  was  William  Read,  a 
large  Connecticut  land  owner.  In  the  ancient  Fairfield 
Town  Deeds  there  is  a  record  under  date  of  1693  of  a  parcel  of 
land  deeded  by  him  to  his  daughters  Sarah  and  Abigail,  and 
to  his  "loving  son  John  Read."  At  the  age  of  seventeen  John 
graduated  from  Harvard  College,  and  at  once  proceeded  to 
fit  himself  for  the  ministry.  He  preached  two  years  at  East 
Hartford,  and  in  1703  was  called  to  Stratford  where  he 
supplied  the  pulpit  from  1703  to  1707,  though  never  formally 
installed  as  pastor.  The  ancient  Town  Records  of  Stratford 
show  him  as  a  man  deeply  respected.  The  Committee  ap- 
pointed by  the  town  to  engage  him  is  directed  to  employ 
every  means  to  induce  him  to  accept  the  call.  About  1707 
he  removed  to  New  Milford,  preaching  the  first  sermon  in 
that  town.  He  resided  there  two  or  three  years.  At  this 
time  he  became  greatly  interested  in  the  study  of  law,  and 
was  admitted  to  practice  at  the  bar  in  1708.  His  superior 
abilities  enabled  him  to  rise  rapidly  in  his  profession,  and 
for  several  years  he  held  the  post  of  Queen's  Attorney  for 
the  Colony  of  Connecticut.  He  had  married  in  1700  Ruth 
Talcot  of  Hartford,  a  member  of  one  of  the  most  prominent 
families  in  Connecticut.^  In  1721  he  removed  to  Boston, 
where  his  talents  were  given  wide  play,  and  he  became  the 
most  noted  jurist  of  his  time,  —  the  oracle  of  the  Governor's 
Council,  styled  by  John  Adams  as  "that  great  Gamaliel." 

Read  has  left  the  reputation  of  being  a  man  of  wut  and 
fancy  as  well  as  of  intellectual  attainment.  This  fancy  was 
evidently  exercised  in  naming  his  farms  and  estates.  "New 
Farm,"  "Chicken's  Farm,"  "Nod,"  "Mount  Misery," 
"New  Harbour,"  "Popple  Hill,"  "Hopewell";  all  these 
are  names  found  recorded  in  ancient  deeds  and  wills  per- 
taining to  the  family  estates.    His  home  estate  in  Reading, 

^  Sketch  of  John  Read  by  Judge  INIcIntire,  genealogies  in  Stratford  and  Fair- 
field to\vn  histories,  and  ancient  records  in  several  places. 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  23 

Fairfield  County,  was  called  "Lone  Town."  To  his  tract 
of  Equivalent  Lands  he  gave  the  most  poetic  name  of  all,  — 
the  "Manour  of  Peace."  ^  The  suggestiveness  of  the  name 
is  peculiarly  apt.  The  land  was  laid  out  and  settlers  in- 
vited to  it  but  a  few  years  after  the  fearful  massacres  of 
Brookfield  and  Deerfield,  while  the  memory  of  those  events 
was  still  fresh  in  men's  minds.  Now  the  danger  was  past, 
and  Mr.  Read  offered  a  peaceful  habitation  to  such  spirits 
as  desired  to  find  homes  in  a  wilderness  no  longer  perilous 
from  savages. 

John  Read  proceeded  to  develop  the  tract  —  as  yet  unin- 
habited —  after  the  model  of  an  English  Manour,  and  he 
evidently  anticipated  that  it  would  in  time  become  a  very 
great  and  valuable  country  estate. 

The  "Mansion  House  "  was  situated  on  Queen's  Street 
in  Boston,  rather  distant  from  the  estate;  but  the  owner's 
interest  in  the  development  of  the  property  is  fully  shown  by 
the  piecing  together  of  fragmentary  evidence.  Unfortunately 
no  steward's  records  or  accounts  have  been  preserved. 

Mr.  Read's  policy  was  to  let  out  the  land  under  lease. 
Not  one  acre  did  he  sell,  to  the  day  of  his  death.  The  only 
portion  that  he  parted  with  was  a  gift  of  200  acres  to  serve 
as  glebe  and  ministry  lot,  —  to  which  reference  will  be 
made  later. 

In  1722  he  mortgaged  the  whole  tract  to  Madam  Hannah 
Clark  of  Boston  for  £150,  describing  it  as  his  "Ten  Thou- 
sand Acres  of  land  being  near  Brookfield  in  the  Province  of 
the  Massachusetts  Bay,  being  that  two  sixteenth  parts  of 
the  land  commonly  called  the  Equivalent  Lands."  The 
discharge  of  the  mortgage  is  not  recorded,  —  a  frequent 
oversight  of  those  days. 

The  exact  date  of  settlement  of  Mr.  Read's  earliest  les- 
sees is  impossible  to  determine.  The  earliest  date  that  I 
have  been  able  to  fix  upon  is  that  of  a  lease  to  Henry  Dwight, 
Esq.  (who  afterwards  disposed  of  the  lease  to  Joseph  Brooks, 
and  himself  removed  to  Hatfield),  of  200  acres  of  land  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  Manour,  in  1726.  The  document  from 
which  this  information  is  gained  is  of  the  greatest  possible 

^  Mr.  Hyde's  surmise  as  to  the  "peace  offering  to  Connecticut "  is  without 
foundation.    The  lands  were  in  no  sense  a  peace  offering. 


24  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

value,  and  throws  a  flood  of  light  upon  the  early  conditions 
under  which  the  Manour  lands  were  settled.  It  was  discov- 
ered b}'  chance  in  the  old  Registry  of  Deeds  for  Hampshire 
County,  and  is  as  follows: 

This  Indenture  made  the  11'^  day  of  Feb'y^  A.D.  1752 
Between  Joseph  Brooks,  of  Ware  River  Precinct  in  the 
County  of  Hampshire  in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  in  New  England,  Husbandman  of  the  one  part,  and 
Joseph  Scott  of  s'*  Ware  River  Precinct  in  the  county  and 
province  afore '^j  Husbandman  of  the  other  part.  Witness- 
eth  that  the  said  Joseph  Brooks,  In  consideration  of  the 
Rents  and  Covenents  hereafter  mentioned  of  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  pounds  to  me  in  hand  paid.  Do  demise  and 
grant  unto  him  the  said  Joseph  Scott  his  heirs,  executors  & 
administrators  or  assigns  all  my  Right  &  Interest  that  I 
have  may  or  can  have  by  virtue  of  a  Lease  from  John  Read 
late  of  Boston  Esq""  Deceas*^  to  Henry  D wight  late  of  Hat- 
field Esq'^  Deceas'^  in  two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  the  South- 
erly part  of  the  Ten  Thousand  Acres  of  Equivalent  land  so 
called  lying  in  the  County  of  Hampshire,  One  hundred  Acres 
of  said  land  lying  on  the  Easterly  Side  of  W^are  River  in 
the  Elbow  of  said  River  Oposite  to  the  Mouth  of  Stevens 
Brook,^  The  other  Hundred  acres  lying  on  the  Westerly 
side  of  said  River  in  opposition  to  the  first  Hundred  acres 
and  joyning  to  it,  It  being  the  Farm  on  which  Joseph  Wright 
and  the  said  Joseph  Brooks  now  lives,  by  which  lease  the 
said  John  Read  did  demise,  set,  and  to  Farm  let  to  him  the 
said  Henry  D wight  the  said  two  Hundred  acres  of  land, 
Together  with  the  priviledge  of  Getting  wood  Timber  and 
Stone  on  any  part  of  the  said  Ten  Thousand  acres  of  Land 
for  use  and  improvement  of  the  Tenants  upon  the  said  two 
hundred  acres  while  the  same  Ten  thousand  acres  or  any 
part  thereof  shall  be  unimproved  and  undisposed  of  to  other 
people  as  he  himself  might,  they  making  no  unreasonable 
waste  and  Destruction  therein,  as  also  the  priviledge  of  all 
necessary  Highways  upon  and  over  the  said  Ten  thousand 
acres;  To  Have  and  to  Hold  the  said  two  Hundred  acres 
of  Land  with  the  appurtenances  and  priviledges  and  with 
the  liberty  and  priviledge  as  above  mentioned  to  him  the 
said  Henry  Dwight  his  execu"  admi"  &  assigns  for  &  during 
the  Term  of  Ninety-nine  Years  from  &  after  the  twenty 

*  Now  known  as  Beaver  Brook.  • 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  25 

fifth  day  of  March  Seventeen  Hundred  and  Twenty  Six 
the  same  Henry  Dwight  his  Executors  admin"  and  assigns 
Yielding  and  paying  therefor  Yearly  During  the  said  Term 
on  the  Twenty  Fifth  Day  of  March  the  Annuale  or  Sum  of 
fifty  ShilHngs  in  money  of  the  Common  Currency  between 
man  &  man  to  the  said  John  Read  and  his  Heirs,  And  the 
said  Joseph  Scott  for  himself  and  his  Heirs  Execu"  Admin"^^ 
or  assigns,  Doth  covenant  promise  and  grant  to  &  with  the 
said  Joseph  Brooks  his  Heirs  &  assigns  that  he  the  said 
Joseph  Scott  his  Esecu"  Admin"  or  assigns  or  some  of 
them  shall  from  the  Day  of  the  Date  hereof  keep  a  Good 
Tenantable  Dwelling  House  upon  the  said  two  Hundred 
acres  and  Settle  himself  or  a  Tenant  in  the  Same  and  always 
thenceforward  During  the  Remainder  of  the  said  Term  (It 
being  seventy  two  years  from  March  next)  Support  or 
Cause  to  be  Supported  a  good  Family  upon  the  said  Farm, 
Constantly  Improving  the  said  Farm  in  the  best  &  most 
advantageous  manner,  as  well  for  the  advantage  of  the  said 
Farm  by  good  Husbandry  as  for  the  benefit  of  the  Tenant 
&  Occupants  thereof,  and  that  he  the  said  Joseph  Scott  his 
Execu"  Admin'^  &  assigns  Shall  from  time  to  time  and  at  all 
times  during  the  Remainder  of  said  Term,  bear  and  pay  all 
and  all  manner  of  Taxes  &  assessments  that  shall  be  laid 
upon  the  said  Land  owners  or  Occupiers  by  Reason  of  said 
land  hereby  Demised  or  Rent  herein  Reserving  without  any 
Deduction  or  abatement  of  the  annual  Rent  hereafter 
mentioned.  And  the  said  Joseph  Scott  doth  further  Cove- 
nant Promise  &  Engage  for  himself  his  Heirs  Executors  ad- 
min" or  assigns  to  yield  and  pay  to  the  said  Joseph  Brooks 
his  Heirs  Executors  admin"  or  assigns  on  the  Twenty  fifth 
Day  of  March  annually  During  the  whole  Term  of  said 
Seventy  two  Years  the  Rent  or  Sum  of  fifty  Shillings  in 
money  of  the  Common  Currency  between  man  &  man  or 
Otherwise  produce  proper  Receipts  and  Discharges  Annually 
of  the  Rents  as  they  Shall  become  Due  agreeable  to  Cove- 
nant made  between  the  said  John  Read  &  Henry  Dwight 
from  the  Heirs  of  the  said  John  Read  or  their  Assigns  so 
that  the  said  Joseph  Brooks  Shall  be  Saved  Harmless  from 
all  payments  that  Shall  be  made  by  the  s'^  Henry  Dwight 
Deceas'^  his  Heirs  Execu"  Admin"  or  assigns  and  all  Cost 
&  Charge  y*  may  arise  by  Reason  of  his  the  said  Joseph 
Scott's  neglect  of  payment  agreeable  to  the  Covenant  before 
Recited  And  also  that  the  said  Joseph  Scott  his  Exexu" 
Admin"  and  assigns  Shall  do  nor  SufiFer  no  unreasonable 


26  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

waste  or  Destruction  on  the  premises  during  the  s^  Term 
and  at  the  Expiration  thereof  Shall  Deliver  quiet  and  peace- 
able possession  thereof  to  y«  Heirs  of  the  said  John  Read  or 
their  Assigns  with  all  the  buildings  Fences  and  Improve- 
ments which  shall  be  found  Convenient  and  be  used  there 
in  good  Repair,  And  Furthermore  he  the  said  Joseph  Scott 
his  Executors  administ"  &  assigns  Shall  at  all  times  during 
the  said  Term  maintain  &  preserve  good  &  sufficient  bounds 
&  Marks  round  the  said  two  Hundred  acres  and  Especially 
on  that  Side  where  it  bounds  on  the  South  line  of  the  said 
Ten  thousand  acres  and  the  fence  he  shall  have  Occasion 
to  make  near  that  line  Shall  be  carefully  laid  &  Erected  in 
the  line  for  the  greater  Security  &  preservation  of  the 
Just  limits  &  bounds  of  the  said  Read's  land,  and  leave  the 
same  fence  Especially  in  good  repair  at  the  End  of  this 
Term,  And  further  that  the  said  Joseph  Scott  his  Execu" 
admin ""^  and  assigns  and  Every  of  them  doing  and  paying  as 
is  before  Expressed  Shall  quietly  &  peaceably  have  hold  use 
Occupy  &  possess  the  two  Hundred  acres  afores"^  with  the 
appurtenances  and  Priviledges  &  liberties  aforementioned 
for  and  during  the  said  Term  of  Seventy  two  Years  as  fully 
as  I  myself  might  or  Could  by  virtue  of  the  lease  af ores'*  with- 
out any  lett  or  Molestation  from  me  the  said  Joseph  Brooks 
my  Heirs  Execu"  administ"  or  assigns  or  any  other  person 
claiming  from  by  or  under  me  or  them  or  any  of  them 
and  further  in  case  the  said  Joseph  Scott  his  Execut"  Admin- 
isf^  or  assigns  shall  fail  of  doing  &  performing  &  paying  as 
is  before  Expressed  it  shall  &  may  be  lawfull  for  him  the 
said  Joseph  Brooks  his  Heirs,  Execut"  adminisf^^  or  assigns 
to  Re  Enter  into  the  premises  and  to  use  Occupy  &  Receive 
the  profits  of  the  Same.  And  it  is  further  agreed  between 
the  said  Joseph  Brooks  &  Joseph  Scott  that  whereas  the 
said  Joseph  Brooks  hath  lately  Erected  and  Set  upon  the 
said  two  Hundred  acres  of  Land  a  Dwelling  House  about 
fifteen  rods  Northerly  of  the  House  In  which  Joseph  Wright 
now  liveth  that  the  said  Joseph  Scott  Shall  have  the  said 
House  Intire  to  himself  without  being  accountable  therefor 
save  only  the  said  Brooks  may  hold  and  Improve  the  same 
till  the  Tenth  Day  of  May  next  and  no  longer.  In  Witness 
whereof  the  parties  to  these  presents  have  Interchangeably 
set  their  hands  &  seals  the  Day  and  Year  first  mentioned. 
In  presence  of 

Joseph  Brooks  &  Seal. 
Jacob  White  :  David  Bliss. 


THE  MAN  OUR   {reduced) 
From  a  survey  made  in  1769 


I 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  27 

It  is  fair  to  infer  that  the  terms  of  the  lease  to  Henry 
Dwight  embodied  in  this  indenture  do  not  differ  materially 
from  the  terms  of  other  leases  given  by  the  proprietor,  ex- 
cept in  the  amount  of  the  annual  rental.  Fifty  shillings  a 
year  for  200  acres  of  land  certainly  was  not  excessive.  In 
all  probability  the  earliest  lessees  were  able  to  make  the 
best  terms,  the  land  increasing  in  value  as  more  farms  were 
improved.  There  is  evidence  from  certain  old  court  cases 
that  other  leases,  the  dates  of  which  unfortunately  cannot 
be  determined  exactly,  were  made  at  a  much  higher  rate. 
For  example,  of  the  Nivins  farm  in  1763  we  find  that  "The 
said  John  Read  .  .  .  within  30  years  last  past  was  seized 
of  the  said  78  acres  ...  in  his  own  right,  .  .  .  taking  the 
profits  thereof  to  the  value  of  40  shillings  by  the  year." 
About  this  same  rate  is  recorded  for  the  Moulton  farm. 

From  this  evidence,  and  from  the  very  favorable  situa- 
tion of  the  Dwight  farm  at  the  Elbow  of  the  river,  which 
would  lead  to  its  being  taken  up  at  the  first,  and  from  the 
comparatively  high  valuation  of  the  farm  over  and  above 
the  annual  rental,  showing  the  rental  to  be  below  its  true 
value,  I  think  we  may  conclude  that  the  year  1726  is  not 
far  from  the  actual  date  of  settlement  of  the  Manour. 

It  would  appear  that  for  some  years  boundary  lines 
were  rather  vague.  But  as  settlers  came  into  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  as  Mr.  Read's  lessees  increased  in  numbers,  it 
became  necessary  to  mark  the  boundary  lines  clearly.  This, 
in  1734,  Mr.  Read  caused  to  be  done,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
following  record  in  the  Proprietors'  Book  of  the  Elbows: 

Whereas  I  Ebenezer  Pumroy  of  North  Hampton  within 
y^  County  of  Hampshire  Esq""  Being  appointed  by  John 
Read  of  Boston  within  the  County  of  Suffolk  Esq""  To  Per- 
ambulate &  Run  y«  Lines  Between  the  said  John  Read's 
ten  thousand  acres  of  Land  Called  y^  Equivelent  Land 
Lying  upon  y^  East  Side  of  Swift  River  Between  Hadley 
and  Brookfield:  And  a  Tract  of  Land  called  the  Elbow 
Tract  Belonging  unto  y^  Proprietors  of  Said  Tract  as  per 
act  of  the  Gen"  Assembly  may  appear,  "Which  Elbow  Tract 
of  Land  Lyeth  Partly  Southerly  and  partly  Easterly  of  S"^ 
Read's  Ten  Thousand  Acres,  And  I,  y^  s^  Pumroy  giving 
more  than  Six  Days  warning  Sent  &  Gave  Notice  to  y^ 


I 


28  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Proprietors  of  the  Said  Elbow  Tract  to  meet  me  at  y^ 
Home  of  Mr.  Aaron  Lyman  near  unto  said  Place,  Upon 
Munday  Aprill  29*^  1734.  And  accordingly  I  went  to  the 
Place  appointed  and  the  Same  Day  there  mett  me  Mess""^ 
Steward  Southgate,  Andrew  Mackee  and  Samuell  Doolitel 
a  comitee  appointed  by  y"  Proprietors  of  the  Said  Elbow 
Tract,  To  Perambulate  and  Run  y"  Bounds'  Between  y" 
Said  Tract  of  Land  and  y"  Said  John  Read  Land.  And  we 
could  find  no  Eastern  Bounds  that  was  made  when  y  Land 
was  originally  Laid  out,  But  only  at  y^  South  East  Corner 
of  the  Said  Reads  Land  which  was  a  Red  oak  tree  marked 
and  a  Heap  of  Stones  by  it  Standing  upon  y®  Side  of  a 
Hill  Close  by  a  Small  Run  of  water  and  about  Eighteen 
Rods  Southerly  of  Ware  River,  Which  Tree  is  now  fallen 
Down  but  very  Evident  to  be  y°  Same  Tree,  and  Place,  in 
y«  originall  Boundarie  and  we  added  to  y^  affors*^  Heap  of 
Stones,  and  from  Said  Tree  we  Run  North  by  the  Needle 
So  farr  as  we  Supposed  the  Elbow  Tract  Extended  North, 
in  which  Line  we  Erected  Severall  Heaps  of  Stones 
&  marked  many  Trees  in  s'^  Line  with  the  mark  in 
'  y^  margin;    And  we  Ended  that  Line  in  a  Narrow 

Swampy  Place,  Partly  between  two  Popple  Swamps  and 
there  we  marked  a  Small  popple  Standle  or  Tree  Setting 
upon  it  as  follows  viz*  1734-Read=E.  P.:  And  then  we 
Returned  Back  to  y^  affors'^  Heap  of  Stones  being  the  s^ 
South  East  Corner  of  the  s"^  John  Reads  Land,  and  then 
run  West  and  by  South,  by  y  Needle  and  in  that  Line  we 
Erected  Severall  Heaps  of  Stones  and  marked  Severall 
Trees  in  s*^  Line  w*^  y^  Mark  in  y^  margin  affors^  and  we 
extended  that  Line  to  Swift  River,  which  came  to  s'^  River 
a  little  above  a  Great  Bow  in  y®  River,  about  two  Rods 
northerly  of  a  cart  Path  that  Crosses  Said  River,  and  there 
we  Laid  a  Heap  of  Stones;  which  Heap  is  y°  South  West 
corner  of  s'l  John  Read's  ten  Thousand  acres  of  Land, 
Being  about  a  mile  and  a  Half  Below  Swift  River  Bridge. 
Upon  which  Perambulation  we  have  made  Duplicates  of 
the  Same,  and  Sett  to  our  hands  this  thirtieth  Day  of  Aprill 
in  y°  Seventh  Year  of  the  Reign  of  George  y^  Second  by  y^ 
Grace  of  God  of  Great  Brittain  France  &  Ireland  King 
Defender  of  the  Faith,  &c.    Anno  Domini  1734. 

Ebenez''  Pumroy 

(  Samuell  Doolitel 

Comt^^<  Andrew  Mackee 

(  Steward  Southgate 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  29 

Nor  was  the  Manour  so  undesirable  a  territory  for  set- 
tlement as  from  some  quarters  we  have  been  led  to  believe. 
Much  has  been  written  of  the  poverty  of  the  soil  due  to 
annual  burnings.  The  extent  and  frequency  of  those  burn- 
ings has  been  greatly  exaggerated.  The  hills  were  well 
wooded,  and  furnished  an  abundance  both  of  timber  and  of 
fuel.  The  statement  copied  by  writer  after  writer  that  a 
stray  cow  or  sheep  could  be  discerned  from  the  top  of  Coy's 
Hill  within  a  radius  of  many  miles  is  so  manifestly  absurd 
that  one  wonders  at  its  constant  repetition;  unless,  indeed, 
the  domestic  animals  were  "giants  in  those  days." 

Without  doubt  the  early  inhabitants  were  poor,  but  never 
as  poor  as  the  second  Brookfield  community  that  settled 
after  the  massacre. 

The  advantages  of  the  Manour  were  not  inconsiderable. 
In  the  first  place  the  Bay  Road  crossed  it  from  east  to  west, 
—  an  important  and  well-travelled  highway  long  before 
1725.  The  Flat  Brook,  Beaver  Brook  and  Swift  River 
valleys  made  it  easy  to  travel  north  and  south.  There  was 
a  highway  through  the  Beaver  Brook  Valley  at  a  very  early 
date,  connecting  Palmer  and  Greenwich,  and  though  there 
was  no  highway  through  the  Flat  Brook  Valley  until  after 
1795,  yet  there  was  a  passable  road,  for  as  early  as  1761  the 
Magoons,  praying  the  General  Court  that  they  might  be 
annexed  to  Ware  River  Parish,  describe  the  road  from  their 
farm  to  the  meeting-house  as  "naturally  good." 

A  second  advantage  was  in  the  brooks  themselves  and  the 
water-power  they  supplied.  It  was  far  easier  to  build  a 
dam  on  a  brook  sufficient  for  the  needs  of  a  saw-mill  or  a 
grist-mill  than  to  harness  the  waters  of  a  considerable  river. 
Beaver  Brook,  Flat  Brook  and  Muddy  Brook,  just  to  the 
east  of  the  Manour,  furnished  no  less  than  a  dozen  small  but 
advantageous  mill-sites.  Probably  the  earliest  dam  was 
built  on  Beaver  Brook,  and  the  Mill  Pond  that  figures 
largely  in  ancient  documents,  and  was  evidently  the  import- 
ant centre  of  the  whole  Manour,  occupied  the  territory  of  the 
late  Beaver  Lake.  The  dam  was  some  rods  farther  north 
than  the  Miner  and  Yale  dam  and  the  pond  smaller  than 
the  one  so  lately  drained.  The  pond  was  in  use  in  1755,  but 
the  mill  appears  to  have  been  destroyed  not  long  after,  for 


30  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

when  the  County  Road  was  built  in  1763  it  was  described  as 
"crossing  Beaver  Brook  near  where  a  saw-mill  formerly 
stood."  1 

Besides  these  advantages,  such  as  they  were,  there  was 
one  which  we  of  today  are  liable  to  lose  sight  of;  the  advan- 
tage of  having  a  wealthy  and  influential  patron  near  to  the 
centre  of  colonial  authority.  John  Read  —  and  his  heirs  car- 
ried on  the  same  traditions  —  was  always  ready  to  promote 
the  interests  of  his  tenants.  He  was  continually  consulted, 
and  before  important  action  was  taken  in  public  matters  it 
was  customary  to  appoint  a  committee  "to  see  what  Mr. 
Read  would  do." 

Few  traditions  of  the  proprietor  have  survived.  The  latest 
that  the  writer  has  found  is  in  Mr.  Hyde's  address,  where  he 
says  that  the  oldest  son  of  one  John  Tisdale  "was  named 
John  Read  after  the  lord  of  the  Manour."  The  names  of  a 
few  of  the  original  lessees  have  been  discovered,  culled  from 
ancient  deeds  and  other  papers  in  which  they  are  mentioned. 
Besides  Henry  Dwight  there  was  Ebenezer  Davis  who 
leased  a  farm  on  the  Swift  River,  which  he  purchased  in  1761, 
and  John  Harwood,  who  purchased  in  the  same  year.  A  tract 
originally  leased  to  Isaac  Magoon  was  bought  by  his  grand- 
son in  1771.  John  Pulsifer  bought  in  1761  land  which  he  had 
previously  held  under  lease.  Others  less  surely  identified 
were  John  Davis,  David  Read,  Benjamin  Bartlett,  Enos 
Allen,  Robert  Moulton,  the  Widow  Bush,  Edmond  Taylor, 
Joseph  Patterson,  Thomas  Crowfoot  and  Jonathan  Rogers. 

John  Read  died  in  Boston  in  1749  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine 
years,  and  was  buried  in  the  crypt  of  King's  Chapel  of  which 
he  had  been  vestryman. 

Wh^t  Mr.  Read's  wishes  and  intentions  may  have  been 
in  regard  to  the  Manour  Estate  which  he  kept  intact  during 
his  lifetime  can  never  be  known.  He  died  intestate,  and  his 
vast  estates  in  Connecticut,  in  Massachusetts  and  in  New 
Hampshire  were  divided  by  mutual  agreement  among  the 
heirs.  A  division  at  first  agreed  upon  but  afterwards  re- 
voked is  recorded  in  the  Probate  Records  of  Fairfield,  Con- 
necticut. The  second  agreement  was  recorded  in  the  Reg- 
istry of  Hampshire  County,  —  a  huge  document  covering 

*  Records,  Court  of  Sessions,  Northampton. 


THE  MANOUR  OF  PEACE  SI 

more  than  twelve  folio  pages  closely  written.  That  docu- 
ment enables  us  to  trace  the  earliest  division  of  the  Manour 
Lands,  and  by  its  aid  we  can  fill  in  with  the  names  of  early 
settlers  a  great  portion  of  the  space  that  has  appeared  here- 
tofore as  a  hopeless  blank.  Untiring  search  has  been  made 
for  a  complete  plan  of  the  Manour,  such  as  certainly  existed, 
for  references  are  constantly  made  to  it  in  the  old  papers, 
but  none  has  come  to  light.  There  was  found,  however, 
filed  among  the  Probate  Records  in  Boston,  a  detailed  plan 
of  Abigail  Miller's  Division,  and  this  has  materially  as- 
sisted in  the  identification  of  certain  positions.  The  agree- 
ment among  the  heirs  is  dated  June  20,  1755.  After  dis- 
posing of  the  Connecticut  estates  the  agreement  proceeds 
thus: 

And  now  that  tract  of  Equivalent  lands  lying  betwixt 
Swift  River  and  Ware  River  in  Ware  River  Precinct  in 
the  county  of  Hampshire,  containing  11320  acres  or  there- 
abouts, bounded  Southerly  and  partly  Easterly  on  Palmer 
precinct.  Easterly  partly  on  Palmer,  Northerly  partly  on 
Hardwick  and  partly  on  Greenwich,  and  Westerly  on  said 
Swift  River,  so  often  called  the  Manour  of  Peace. 

John  Read,  Jr.,  receives  1513  acres;  Ruth  Hunn,  970 
acres;  Wm.  Read,  980  acres;  Deborah,  wife  of  Henry 
Paget,  2385  acres;  Abigail  Miller,  2271  acres;  and  Mary, 
wife  of  Charles  Morris,  2501  acres. 

But  one  other  matter  relating  to  the  Manour  as  a  whole 
remains  to  be  told  in  this  connection.  It  was  noted  in  the 
Division  that  the  Manour  Lands  amounted  to  11,320  acres 
instead  of  the  traditional  10,000.  An  attempt  was  made  in 
1755  by  Robert  Nevins  or  Nivins  of  Hartford,  in  a  petition 
to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  to  get  the  bound- 
ary lines  of  the  tract  relocated,  on  the  ground  that  the 
original  survey 

exceeds,  as  your  petitioner  supposes  the  Quantity  designed, 
greatly  so  that  the  province  is  wronged  thereby. 

Nivins  was  not  so  disinterested  as  the  words  would  imply. 
It  seems  that  he  had  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  the  Pyn- 
chon  heirs,  it  being  part  of  a  grant  of  500  acres  made  to 


32  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

the  Hon.  John  Pynchon  as  early  as  1666,  but  not  sur- 
veyed until  17i26.  This  tract  lay  to  the  north  of  the  10,000 
acres  of  Equivalent  Lands.  The  Pynchon  heirs  had  en- 
croached on  the  Read  Tract  unwittingly,  and  had  given 
warranty  deeds  to  Nivins,  Moulton,  and  possibly  others, 
of  lands  to  which  they  had  themselves  no  title.  These  men 
began  to  improve  their  farms  and  put  up  buildings.  Moul- 
ton's  house  was  built  on  Read's  land,  his  chimney  figuring 
in  a  certain  dividing  line  of  the  Manour.  The  simplest  and 
least  expensive  method  of  disentangling  the  matter  was  to 
ask  the  General  Court  to  appoint  a  commission  to  relocate 
the  northern  line  of  the  tract  and  confirm  the  titles  of 
Nivins,  Moulton  and  others.  The  General  Court  on  receiv- 
ing the  petition  appointed  a  committee  to  "take  this  matter 
under  due  consideration  and  report."  The  Committee 
looked  over  the  ground,  and  reported  to  the  General  Court, 
which  body  in  1759  wisely  declined  to  enter  upon  any  read- 
justment of  lines.  Soon  after  this  decision  of  the  General 
Court  the  Read  heirs  brought  suits  against  Nivins  and 
Moulton.  The  former  was  made  the  test  case,  and  was 
appealed  by  Nivins  to  the  Supreme  Court,  after  judgment 
in  the  lower  court  had  been  given  against  him.  A  second 
survey  of  the  tract  was  ordered  by  the  court  which,  though 
a  little  more  definite  than  the  first  survey,  was  practically 
identical  with  it.  The  case  was  before  the  courts  six  years. 
In  1769  the  verdict  of  the  lower  court  was  confirmed,  the 
jury  finding  for  the  plaintiffs  (the  Read  heirs)  "  possession 
of  the  land  and  premises  demanded,  and  cost  of  court." 


Ill 

Settling  on  the  Land 

The  methods  by  which  the  early  settlers  gained  their 
titles  to  the  land  need  a  few  words  of  explanation. 

It  was  generally  assumed  that  the  Indians  owned  the 
land,  and  that  their  rights  ought  to  be  respected.  So  it  was 
that  in  all  the  Colonies  we  constantly  read  of  the  white  set- 
tlers purchasing  the  land  of  the  aborigines.  But  to  purchase 
land  of  the  Indians  did  not,  at  least  in  the  Colony  of  Massa- 
chusetts, give  a  man  a  legal  title.  The  governmental  theory 
was  that  all  the  land  belonged  to  the  Colony,  and  the  Gen- 
eral Court  alone  could  dispose  of  it.  So  if  a  man  desired 
land,  he  must  go  to  the  General  Court  for  a  clear  title.  At 
the  same  time  the  Court  recognized  a  quasi-ownership  by 
the  Indians,  and  expected  the  grantee  to  satisfy  any  Indian 
claimants,  either  before  or  after  the  legal  grant  was  made.  A 
deed  of  sale  from  the  Indians  was  evidence  of  ownership  as 
far  as  it  went,  but  that  was  not  very  far.  The  Indians  did 
not  understand  the  purport  of  the  documents  to  which  they 
fixed  their  marks,  the  boundaries  of  which  tracts  were  ex- 
tremely indefinite.  In  many  instances,  too,  the  price  paid 
by  the  white  men  was  absurdly  inadequate,  and  they  were 
frequently  buying  wholly  as  a  speculation.  Thus  we  see 
that  the  famous  Indian  Deed  that  was  signed  by  John 
Magus,  Lawrence  Nasowanna,  James,  Simon  and  Anogemag, 
transferring  a  great  tract  to  Joshua  Lamb  and  Company, 
though  drawn  in  1686,  was  not  even  presented  for  registra- 
tion until  1723,  when  all  the  original  grantees  were  dead 
except  one.^  The  price  purported  to  have  been  paid  was  only 
£20.  That  the  purchasers  of  Indian  lands  did  not  take  their 
transactions  seriously  in  all  cases,  is  shown  by  a  whimsical 

*  This  Indian  Deed  has  been  so  often  quoted  that  the  text  is  not  given  here. 
Nor  does  it  in  fact  include  any  considerable  portion  of  Ware  territory,  the  Nename- 
sick  or  Ware  River  forming  its  western  boundary.  Lamb  and  Company  never 
had  any  rights  within  our  town  borders. 


34  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

deed  drawn  by  John  Read  while  living  in  the  Connecticut 
Colony: 

Know  all  men  by  these  crooked  Scrawls  and  Seals,  yt 
we  Chickens,  alias  Sam  Mohawk,  and  Naseco,  do  solemnly 
declare  that  we  are  owners  of  yt  tract  of  land  called  Lone- 
town  etc.  .  .  . 

Witness  our  crooked  marks  and  borrowed  seals.^ 

Furthermore  the  Indians  did  not  mean  to  give  away 
their  own  fishing  and  hunting  rights,  the  reservation  of 
such  rights  being  sometimes  specified,  and  generally  under- 
stood even  when  not  specified. 

As  to  the  claims  of  squatters,  the  Court  was  not  disposed 
to  give  them  any  countenance  whatever.  It  is  readily  seen 
that  once  squatters  were  scattered  over  the  country-side 
further  grants  would  be  out  of  the  question,  for  the  boun- 
daries would  be  indeterminate  and  doubtful,  and  in  many 
instances  where  squatters  had  taken  up  and  improved  lands 
and  built  homes  upon  them,  the  Court  confirmed  their 
titles,  provided  there  was  no  encroachment  on  any  legally 
and  regularly  granted  premises. 

Land  grabbers  and  speculators  were  extremely  common, 
men  who  through  their  political  influence  had  the  oppor- 
tunity to  get  hold  of  huge  undefined  tracts.  Such  were  the 
Pynchons  of  Springfield;  such  was  John  Read,  whose  hold- 
ings were  enormous.  Some  tracts  were  developed  and  settled 
through  the  influence  of  the  owner,  others  disposed  of. 

One  example  of  many,  showing  the  magnitude  of  these 
transactions,  is  the  sale  by  John  Read  in  1737  of  a  great 
tract  lying  to  the  south  of  the  Deerfield  River.  For  £1020 
he  deeds  to  John  Checkly,  Gentleman,  and  Gershom  Keyes, 
Merchant,  both  of  Boston,  23,040  acres,  *'by  me  purchased 
of  the  Selectmen  of  the  Town  of  Boston  by  there  deed  dated 
the  14th  of  July  last,  .  .  .  being  Township  No.  1,  granted 
and  laid  out  to  the  town  of  Boston." 

It  was  impossible  for  Mr.  Read's  heirs  to  locate  all  his 
holdings,  some  of  which  were  situated  in  the  wilds  of  New 
Hampshire. 

Legislative  grants  were  frequently  made  to  private  indi- 

*  "  History  of  Redding." 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  35 

viduals  as  a  reward  for  some  service  to  the  Colony,  as  fight- 
ing the  Indians  or  bearing  dispatches.  Frequently  also  to 
men  who  had  no  claim  except  that  they  were  in  needy  cir- 
cumstances. In  the  earliest  days  the  grants  were  made  with- 
out conditions,  and  frequently  changed  hands,  for  a  financial 
consideration,  several  times  before  they  were  actually  set- 
tled. Such  was  the  case  with  the  Hollingsworth  Tract.  In 
later  times  the  grant  was  made  with  the  proviso  that  the 
lands  be  improved  and  families  settled  upon  them  within  a 
stated  period,  otherwise  the  title  to  be  forfeited. 

There  was  no  need  of  observing  the  formality  of  purchas- 
ing land  from  the  Indians  so  far  as  Ware  territory  was  con- 
cerned, for  there  were  no  permanent  Indian  settlements 
within  our  borders,  and  any  claims  of  the  aborigines  were 
extremely  vague  and  indefinite. 

The  Capt.  John  Sheldon  Grant 

\  The  earliest  map  or  plan  of  any  portion  of  our  territory 
which  I  have  found,  with  the  exception  of  the  Read  Manour 
survey  of  1716,  is  the  survey  of  a  grant  to  John  Sheldon 
dated  1719.  Sheldon  was  one  of  the  sufferers  from  the  In- 
dian assault  on  Deerfield,  Feb.  29,  1704,  when  his  wife,  a 
baby,  his  brother-in-law  and  his  daughter's  husband  were 
slain,  and  four  of  his  children,  together  with  other  relatives 
and  townsmen,  more  than  a  hundred  in  all,  were  carried  as 
prisoners  to  Canada.  Sheldon  was  employed  by  the  Pro- 
vincial Government  to  trace  the  captives,  and  made  three 
journeys  to  Canada,  securing  the  redemption  of  fifty -six  of 
those  unfortunate  persons.  In  1707  he  recites  his  hardships 
and  misfortunes  to  the  General  Court,  and  asks  for  a  tract 
of  500  acres  "in  or  near  the  County  of  West  Hampshire." 
The  request  was  granted  as  follows :  — 

Massachusetts, 

Anno  Regni 

Annae  Reginae 
Sexto. 
At  a  session  of  the  Great  and  General  Court  or  Assembly 
held  at  Boston  upon  Wednesday  the  29th  of  October  1707. 
In  Council 


36  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  following  Resolve  passed  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, upon  the  petition  of  John  Sheldon,  several  times  sent 
on  messages  to  Canada,  Read  and  Concurred. 

vizt. 
Resolved  that  three  hundred  acres  of  land  be  granted  to 
the  Petitioner  (not  to  contain  above  forty  acres  of  meadow) 
In  consideration  of  his  good  service  mentioned  in  the  Pe- 
tition. 

A  plat  thereof  to  be  laid  before  this  Court  for  confirmation. 

Consented  to 

J.  Dudley 
Mr.  Tim  Dwight 

These  .  .  .  orders :  to  lay  out  by  the  direction  of  your  Kins- 
man Henry  Dwight:  three  hundred  acres  of  upland  and 
meadow:  of  the  Countrey  land:  and  make  A  Returne:  to 
me  or  your  Kinsman  of  your  proceedings :  before  the  next 
Electtion  at  Boston: 

Yours 

John  Sheldon 

May  4th,  1719. 

The  land  was  surveyed  as  directed: 

Piatt  of  300  acres  of  land  laid  out  to  Capt.  Jn°  Sheldon 
west  of  Potaquatuck  Hill  on  Ware  River,  s<*  land  not  con- 
taining above  fourty  acres  of  bogg  meddow.  Protracted 
by  a  scale  of  33  perch  to  an  Inch.  Surveyed  by  the  Needle 
of  the  Instrument  May  23,   1719.     p  .Timothy  Dwight 

Sur.i 

The  plat  is  interesting  as  it  shows  the  course  of  Ware 
River  carefully  projected  above  and  below  the  point  where 
Beaver  Brook  flows  in,  thus  identifying  the  exact  locality 
in  the  southern  portion  of  theManour  Lands.  The  encroach- 
ment upon  theManour  must  have  been  detected  very  soon,  for 
when  in  October  of  the  same  year  Sheldon  sells  his  grant  to 
Henry  Dwight  of  Hatfield  for  £21,  he  gives  only  a  quit- 
claim deed.^ 

Finding  that  the  300  acres  he  had  purchased  of  John 
Sheldon  had  indeed  been  surveyed  on  lands  already  ap- 
propriated, "so  as  to  interfere  with  the  10,000  acres  of 

'  Mass.  Archives,  Maps  and  Plans,  No.  5,  pp.  29,  30. 
*  Springfield  Registry,  D,  p.  395. , 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  87 

Equivalent  Lands,"  Dwight  petitions  the  General  Court 
that  the  grant  may  be  laid  out  in  some  unappropriated  lands. 
In  the  House  of  Representatives  it  was  ordered  "that  the 
300  acres  be  laid  out  in  the  unappropriated  land  of  the 
province  where  the  same  may  be  found,  and  a  plat  returned 
within  twelve  months,  to  discharge  and  satisfy  the  Grant 
made  to  the  said  John  Sheldon  .  .  .  and  the  former  survey 
is  hereby  declared  null  and  void."  The  Council  concurred, 
and  the  Governor  consented.  Henry  Dwight  found  a  tract 
a  little  farther  to  the  south,  on  the  slope  of  Pottaquattuck 
Mountain,  —  "beginning  at  a  pine  tree  So.  Et  from  Patta- 
quattuck  Pond," — and  so  he  leaves  our  territory  so  far  as  the 
grant  is  concerned.  But  evidently  he  had  found  the  first 
location  greatly  to  his  mind,  for  he  leased  of  John  Read  200 
acres  lying  at  the  Elbow  of  the  river,  —  the  best  portion  of 
the  survey  of  1719. 

Squatters 

A  certain  number  of  squatters  settled  within  the  bounds 
of  our  town,  filling  the  spaces  that  were  not  comprised  in 
the  Manour,  the  Hollings worth  Grant  and  the  Marsh  Tract. 
Some  of  these  squatters  had  settled  under  the  authority  of 
Lamb  and  Company,  or  rather  of  their  successors.  Lamb  and 
Company,  claiming  a  sort  of  ownership  in  the  large  tract  cov- 
ered by  the  Indian  Deed,  tried  in  vain  to  get  the  General 
Court  to  "Confirm  unto  them  and  those  they  represent  and 
their  associates  the  said  Tract  of  land  described  in  the  deed." 
This  the  Court  refused  to  do.  For  six  years  the  Company 
strove  to  secure  a  grant,  succeeding  at  last  in  1732,  when 
a  tract  was  given  them  six  miles  square  "northward  of  and 
adjacent  to  Ware  River."  There  was  absolutely  no  recogni- 
tion of  any  rights  under  the  Indian  Deed. 

But  illegal  as  any  claim  on  our  town  lands  was,  the  Com- 
pany had  asserted  a  claim,  and  had  been  able  to  impose  upon 
certain  settlers,  claiming  a  right  to  give  title  which  they  did 
not  possess. 

The  attempt  of  these  misled  settlers  to  gain  a  title  from 
the  Court  is  a  long  story,  and  need  not  concern  us  in  detail.^ 

*  The  whole  story  is  related  in  Temple's  "  History  of  Palmer." 


38  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  whole  thing  in  a  nutshell  may  be  found  in  the  following 
petition  under  date  of  Nov.  24,  1732. 

November  24,  1732.  A  Petition  of  Joseph  Wright  and 
fifty-six  others,  Inhabitants  of  a  Tract  of  land  situate  be- 
tween Springfield,  Brookfield,  Brimfield,  the  Equivalent 
Land  and  Cold  Spring,  shewing  that  the  Petitioners  are 
sensible  that  the  Lands  they  are  settled  on  do  of  right  belong 
to  the  Province;  but  for  as  much  as  they  were  encouraged 
to  settle  there  by  Joshua  Lamb  Esq.  and  Company  who  pre- 
tended a  Title  to  the  Land  and  with  whom  they  had  agreed 
as  to  the  purchase  —  Therefore  praying  a  grant  of  the  s"^ 
Land  from  this  Court,  for  such  consideration  as  the  Court 
shall  judge  reasonable. 

The  Court  appointed  a  committee  to  go  upon  the  land 
and  view  the  situation  and  circumstances,^  which  concerned 
a  large  portion  of  the  settlers  in  the  Elbow  Tract  of  which 
our  own  town  was  but  a  small  fraction.  The  committee 
found  eighty  persons  improperly  settled,  forty-eight  of  the 
number  induced  by  Lamb  and  Company,  who  had  given  them 
deeds  of  conveyance.  It  recommended  that  such  as  had 
gotten  the  land  in  good  faith,  had  built  homes  and  made 
improvements,  should  have  their  titles  confirmed. 

Furthermore  the  Committee  found  thirty-one  persons 

having  presumed  to  enter  on  the  Province  Land  in  said 
Tract  without  any  leave  or  order  from  this  Court,  or  made 
any  Pretence  of  Mistake,  or  Admission  from  the  Claimers: 
Yet  they  having  most  of  them  made  considerable  Improve- 
ments and  expended  the  chief  of  their  Small  Fortunes: 
And  having  paid  their  proper  proportion  for  the  support  of 
the  Ministry  among  them;  That  to  Remove  them  ofif 
would  reduce  them  to  extreme  Poverty. 

'  "  We  Find  the  greatest  part  of  ye  sd  Land  to  be  Pine  Land,  High  Hills,  and  Low 
Valleys;  the  hills  very  poor  and  mean,  the  valleys  pretty  good. 

We  Also  Find  that  the  said  Tract  of  Land  lies  in  a  Broken  form,  and  is  much 
Discommoded  by  Farms  claimed  by  Particular  Grants  from  this  Court,  which  have 
taken  up  the  best  of  y^  land. 

We  Also  Find  that  the  Circumstances  of  y^  Petitioners  &  Settlers  and  their 
Settlements  are  Different  and  much  Intricate  and  Perplexed;  Some  of  them  having 
entred  and  Settled  without  Regulation,  and  Interfered  and  Incroached  upon  other 
men's  Pitches  and  Improvements.  And  in  many  instances  two  several  Setiers  claim 
one  and  ye  same  spot  under  different  pleas  and  pretences  of  Right;  some  having 
Lots  laid  out;  some  partly  laid,  and  others  only  Pitched,  interfering  one  with  an- 
other as  aforesaid."    From  Report  of  Committee. 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  S9 

We  are  therefore  humbly  of  the  opinion,  that  it  may  not 
be  Inconsistent  with  y°  Honor  of  the  Province,  and  yet  a 
suflBcient  Discountenance  to  such  Presumptions  Settele- 
ments;  If  there  be  granted  to  each  of  them  a  single  Lot, 
including  their  Improvements. 

But  while  recommending  thus  the  clemency  of  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  a  penalty  was  imposed  upon  these  settlers,  that 
they  "Do  pay  into  the  Publick  Treasury  of  this  Province 
The  Sum  of  Five  Hundred  Pounds  within  two  years,"  to- 
gether with  all  back  taxes,  and  the  expenses  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

The  Report  of  the  Commission  was  accepted  in  1733. 

The  settlers  or  squatters  in  our  territory  afifected  by  this 
important  action  were: 

Joseph  Brooks  in  the  north-east  part  of  the  town. 

Jeremiah  Omstead,  who  received  a  Hundred  acre  lot  ad- 
joining the  farm  of  his  father  Jabez  Omstead,  which  latter 
comprised  the  Hollingsworth  Grant. 

Jeremiah  in  1738  sells  this  farm,  described  in  the  deed  as 
the  100  acre  lot  granted  him  by  the  General  Court  in  1733, 
to  Noah  Colton;  —  "Bounded  W.  by  my  father's  farm 
commonly  called  Wear  River  Farm,  &  South  in  part  on 
Ware  River,  from  a  great  red  oak  tree  marked  a  little  above 
the  Old  Bridge  Spot  to  a  little  heap  of  stones  six  rod  above 
the  foot  of  the  new  Bridge,  and  bounded  otherways  by 
Common  Lands  as  by  y^  survey  of  the  lot  on  Record  more 
particularly  may  appear." 

Noah  Colton  in  1740  sells  the  same  to  John  Post  for 
£250.  John  Post  sells  the  same  to  Alexander  Mack  Neill 
in  1744. 

Isaac  Magoon,  Senior  received  a  Hundred  acre  lot, 
bounding  northerly  on  the  Read  Manour,  including  his  house 
and  improvements.  Isaac  Magoon,  Junior  likewise  received 
one  hundred  acres  which  he  had  purchased  of  the  claimers. 
These  farms  were  situated  just  by  the  south-east  corner  of 
the  Manour,  and  were  annexed  to  Ware  in  1761. 

Steward  Southgate  was  to  "have  a  Hundred  acre  lot,  to 
be  laid  out  on  Ware  River  and  Esq.  Read's  Tract  of  Equiv- 
alent Land,  at  y^  south-east  Corner  thereof,  extending 
easterly,  and  southerly  in  regular  form  so  as  to  make  up  y* 
complement  of  a  Hundred  acres." 


40  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

So  happy  were  the  inhabitants  of  the  tract  at  the  equitable 
settlement  of  the  affair  that  the  Proprietors  of  the  Common 
and  Undivided  Land  in  the  Elbow  Tract,  on  June  3,  1735, 

Voted,  That  there  be  granted  and  laid  out  to  Eben' 
Burrill,  Esq'.,  Col.  John  Alden  and  Mr.  Samuel  Brad- 
ford who  were  the  Hon'''  Com*«^  of  the  Gen''  Court  for 
Viewing  and  Determining  the  Grant  of  this  Elbow  Tract; 
to  each  of  them  an  Hundred  acre  Lott  in  any  of  the  Com- 
mon Land  that  was  added  to  the  Tract  since  it  was  sur- 
veyed by  y^  former  Claimers;  as  a  Grateful  Acknowledge* 
of  their  Great  and  Good  Service  to  the  settle™*  in  Despatch- 
ing y^  affairs  thereof  by  a  full  and  particular  Report,  super- 
ceding the  charge  and  Difficulty  of  a  Com*^^  of  Regulation. 

The  £500  debt  was  a  sore  burden  to  the  settlers.  They 
simply  could  not  pay  it  in  addition  to  the  charge  and  expense 
of  the  Committee,  which  amounted  to  over  £67,  various 
"past  charges,"  and  "necessary  public  charges."  Their 
total  indebtedness  amounted  in  fact  to  £1,271. 

No  attempt  was  made  to  raise  the  £500.  Petitions  were 
sent  to  the  General  Court  for  the  abatement  of  the  penalty, 
or  failing  that,  for  an  extension  of  time.  The  condition  of 
the  settlement  was  laid  before  the  Court,  showing  the  neces- 
sity of  soi^e  measure  of  relief.  But  the  Court  was  firm,  and 
only  granted  a  two  years'  extension  of  time  for  the  assess- 
ment and  collection  of  the  amount. 

The  two  years  having  expired  with  nothing  done,  the 
General  Court  ordered  the  appointment  of  three  disinter- 
ested men  to  assess  and  levy  the  amount  in  accordance  with 
the  original  order.  This  was  in  1739.  The  whole  business 
was  to  be  closed  up  by  the  end  of  May,  1741. 

The  order  seems  to  have  created  somewhat  of  a  panic, 
and  called  forth  a  most  humble  petition  from  the  Propri- 
etors, setting  forth  clearly  the  impossibility  of  raising  the 
sum  without  ruining  the  "little  poor  Infant  Plantation."^ 

Matters  dragged  along,  and  in  1743  the  General  Court 
ordered  "that  the  Warrant  be  so  far  stayed  as  that  they  be 
obliged  to  pay  only  one  quarter  part  forthwith,  and  the 
other  three  quarters  in  three  equal  payments,  viz.  in  the 
three  years  1744,  1745  and  1746." 

'  The  petition  may  be  fouad  quoted  in  Temple's  "  History  of  Palmer." 


^^ 


P^  o/  W/^JLvd-  %  jwf^^^Eti/  X<^^  ii-v^  . 


i^^3'<r- 


^  &9^^nH  Jro^lMulcfl^    ^a 


Reproduced  from  Mr.  E.  B.  Gilberts  "Early  Grants" 


,°-  S  "      '5     £  S    '5 

^  J  ^    1    s  J  P 

III  ?  I1 5 


J  -5  <3  'S        S  : 


Q 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  41 

The  proportional  assessments  were  made,  and  those  who 
could  paid  them-  In  other  cases  land  was  sold  by  the  sherifif, 
ten  or  fifteen  acres  as  the  need  might  be,  until  by  voluntary 
payments  or  by  enforced  collection  the  debt  was  eventually 
discharged. 

The  Marsh  Tract 

A  year  after  the  first  move  of  the  "squatters"  as  de- 
scribed above,  a  similar  move  was  made  by  another  group 
of  "squatters"  on  land  north  of  the  Elbow  Tract,  the  sec- 
tion comprising  the  north-east  portion  of  our  present  town. 

Under  date  of  Oct.  3,  1733,  we  find  the  following: 

To  his  Excelpy  Jonathan  Belcher  Esq'  Cap*  Gen"  & 
Com'^''  in  Chief  of  His  Majest^  ProV  of  the  Massachus"^ 
Bay  in  New  England  &c:  The  Hon^^^  His  Majes*^  Council 
&  House  of  Representatives  in  Gen'*  Court  assembled  at 
Boston  Oct.  3'<i  1733.  The  petition  of  us  The  Subscribers 
Humbly  Sheweth  That  your  Petit"  are  now  actually  dwell- 
ing on  a  Tract  of  the  unappropriated  Lands  of  this  ProV 
in  the  County  of  Hampshire  bounded  South  partly  by  That 
Tract  of  Land  called  the  Elbows  &  Partly  by  Brookfield 
Township,  East  by  Ware  River,  North  by  Land  lately 
Granted  to  Co"  Lamb  &  Comp»  &  West  by  that  Part  of 
the  Equivalent  Lands  belonging  to  John  Read  of  Boston 
Esq',  Containing  fourteen  Hundred  &  forty  three  Acres, 
as  p.  a  Plat  of  s<^  Land  herewith  Presented  more  Particularly 
appears,  &  on  S<^  Tract  of  Lands  we  have  lived  Some  of  us 
three  Years  ^  where  we  have  spent  the  most  of  that  little 
Substance  we  had,  &  we  Assure  your  Hon"  it  was  not  the 
Extraordinary  goodness  of  Quality  of  the  Lands,  that  moved 
us  to  go  up  on  it,  for  A  Considerable  Part  of  S^.  Tract  is 
Ledges  of  Rocks,  &  Very  Rockey,  so  as  to  render  it  un- 
profitable &  almost  Useless  (as  those  that  are  Acquainted 
with  it  can  Testifie)  but  that  which  induced  us  to  Settle  on 
it  was  our  necessity,  our  principle  dependance  for  the  Sup- 
port of  our  Selves  &  Families  is  Husbandry  &  we  had  not  a 
foot  of  Land  to  Imploy  our  Selves  &  families  upon,  were 
Exposed  to  Idleness  &  pinching  Want,  &  being  then  un- 
sensible how  highly  the  Court  resented  Such  a  way  of  Setling, 

1  As  a  matter  of  fact  some  of  the  signers  of  this  petition  had  been  on  the  land 
more  than  six  years,  as  will  be  explained  later. 


42  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

&  Apprehending  that  the  principle  thing  Insisted  on  was 
that  there  Should  be  no  Trading,  or  Stock  Jobbing,  but  an 
Actual  Settlement,  &  Improvement  in  Husbandry,  by  the 
Grantees  themselves  with  which  we  were  ready  to  Comply. 
Wherefore  being  thus  unhappily  intangled  on  S"^  Land  with 
great  Submission,  we  most  Humbly  move  that  this  Great  & 
jjQjirbie  Assembly,  would  condescend  to  Exercise  their 
Charity  &  Pitty  towards  us,  in  Granting  us  (out  of  S*^  Land 
including  the  Spots  we  have  Already  begun  on)  so  much 
land  as  may  be  a  Competency  for  us  to  Improve  for  A 
lively  hood,  for  our  Selves  &  Children,  we  have  no  thot  of 
any  Other  but  with  Submission  to  spend  the  remainder 
of  our  Lives  and  Substances  on  the  Spot,  are  Content  & 
ready  Submit  to  Submit  to  any  Injunctions  or  Limitations 
within  our  reach,  this  Great  &  Hon'^'^  Court  Shall  think 
meet  to  Lay  upon  us,  who  as  in  Duty  bound  Shall  Ever 
Pray  &c 

Ua 

John  X  demons 

mark 

Thomas  marsh 
William  Clemmans 

Us 

Jonothon  X  Rood 

■marft 

Judah  Marsh 

The  petition  was  not  granted  at  once,  but  a  Committee 
was  appointed  to  report  to  the  next  session  of  the  Court  upon 
the  matter.    In  January,  1737,  it  was: 

Read  and  Ordered  that  the  petition  be  revived  &  that 
the  plat  be  accepted  and  the  Lands  therein  delineated  and 
described  be  &  hereby  are  confirmed  to  the  said  Thomas 
Marsh,  William  Clements,  John  Clements,  Jonathan  Rood, 
Judah  Marsh  &  Samuel  Marsh  their  heirs  &  assigns  respect- 
ively provided  each  of  the  Grantees  do  within  the  space  of 
ffive  years  from  this  date  have  Six  Acres  of  the  granted 
premises  brought  to  English  Grass,  or  broke  up  by  plowing, 
and  each  of  them  have  a  good  dwelling  House  thereon  of 
Eighteen  feet  square  and  seven  feet  stud  at  the  least  &  each 
a  ffamily  dwelling  therein;  that  they  Actually  bring  to  the 
settlement  of  y^  said  lands  by  themselves  or  their  Children 
as  abovesaid,  provided  also  the  plat  exceeds  not  the  quantity 
of  fourteen  hundred  and  forty  three  Acres  and  does  not 
interfere  with  any  former  Grant.    &  also  that  the  Grantees 


SO'.r^ 


A  Plat  orMfSam'  Pnncc  Farmc  tonuming  500  Ac>"  lylni 
HadlyRoad  on  were  rivtr  Surveyed  June  9"  1714  by 

William  Word 
A  B,  N"  lof.  W  length  208  Poles 
DC..N?sof.E    .    .    .  146  .    .    , 

C  D,  E 160  .,    . 

D  E,  S»  1  jf.  W  390  ■    ■ 

E  A   N  7!'.W  270.    .    .  E,!?'' 

Note  y'  within  this  Draught    is  con-     C^'''^/^[f^ 
lained  zl^/i  Acres  besides  the  above  500.  Q 

for  to  be  laid  out  in  a  Road  ' 


^^'W,  Jti^^iv 


^^ 


a,  ^caSU.  cf  1ST,   ^aOa 


^^--i;:EV~ 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  43 

do  within  twelve  months  pay  to  the  province  treasurer  flBve 
pounds  Each  for  y"=  use  of  this  province  ^ 
Sent  up  for  Concurrence 

J.  Quincy  Sp''' 
In  Council  Jan'^  4,  1737     Read  &  Concur'd 

Simon  Frost  Dep  Sec^ 
Consented  to  J.  Belcher  ^ 

From  the  petition  already  quoted  we  learn  that  the  first 
settlers  on  the  Marsh  Tract  "  squatted  "  by  1730.  Whether 
they  were  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  Elbows  Plantation  or 
not,  and  whether  they  bore  any  share  of  taxation  is  difficult  to 
determine.  They  had  no  status  whatever  until  after  Octo- 
ber of  1737,  nor  does  that  Act  join  them  either  to  Hard  wick 
or  Kingston.  As  late  as  1741  a  deed  of  Jonathan  Rood  to 
Paul  Thurston  describes  the  land  as  lying  in  "a  place  called 
Muddy  Brook,  between  Hardwick  and  the  Elbows."  These 
"Muddy  Brook"  people  led  in  the  movement  for  incorpora- 
tion in  1742,  and  their  land  became  part  of  Ware  River 
Precinct. 

The  Hollingsworth  Grant 

As  the  history  of  the  Read  Manour  is  the  most  interesting 
on  account  of  the  unique  features  which  marked  its  settle- 
ment and  development,  so  that  of  the  Hollingsworth  Tract 
is  the  most  important,  comprising,  as  that  tract  does,  the 
entire  territory  of  Ware  Village. 

The  first  steps  in  the  Hollingsworth  Grant  were  taken  at 
a  very  early  period. 

On  Nov.  8,  1673,  the  following  petition  was  presented  to 
the  General  Court. 

To  the  honoured  Governour  Deputie  Governour  Magis- 
trates and  Deputies  Now  assembled  and  holding  General 
Court  in  Boston. 

The  humble  Petition  of  Richard  Hollinworth  of  Salem 
most  humbly  sheweth 

That  your  most  humble  Petitioner's  ffather  came  into  this 
Countrey  about  forty  yeares  Since  and  brought  a  great 

'  For  further  location  see  maps. 
*  Mass.  Archives,  Vol.  46,  p.  61. 


44  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

ffamily  with  him  and  a  good  Estate  And  being  the  first 
builder  of  vessells  being  a  ship-carpenter  was  a  great  benefit 
to  this  Countrey  and  as  great  or  greater  then  anyone  in 
the  infancie  of  the  Countrie  of  a  private  man  as  it  is  fully 
knowne  yctt  gained  not  himselfe  an  Estate  but  Spent  his 
owne  that  he  brought  and  Notwithstanding  all  his  Service 
and  the  largenes  of  his  family  being  twelve  in  Number,  he 
never  had  more  granted  him  by  the  Countrie  but  fortie 
one  Acres  of  upland  and  not  one  Acre  of  Meadow  and  the 
land  lying  Soe  remote  from  the  towne  of  Salem  it  proved 
little  worth  to  him  or  his  and  none  of  his  Children  have 
ever  had  anything  but  have  lived  by  their  Labour  with 
God's  blessing  and  your  petitioner  hath  used  the  Maretan 
imploym*  and  through  many  Dangers  and  with  much 
Difficultie  gotten  a  livlyhood  for  himselfe  and  his  family 
and  being  brough  very  Low  by  his  loss  by  the  Dutch  taking 
all  from  him  is  constrained  to  apply  himselfe  unto  yo' 
Selves  whom  God  hath  Sett  as  ffathers  of  this  common 
wealth 

And  Doth  most  humbly  beseech  you  Seriously  to  con- 
sider the  premisses  and  if  it  may  stand  with  your  good  likeing 
and  Charitie  to  grant  unto  him  a  Competent  parcel]  of  land 
that  he  may  Sitt  Downe  upon  with  his  family  —  vizt.  his 
wife  and  six  children  for  he  would  leave  the  Seas  had  he  any 
competencie  of  land  whereby  with  his  owne  in  Dustry  and 
Gods  blessing  he  might  mainetaine  his  family  And  he  shall 
take  it  as  a  great  favor  And  as  in  Dutie  bound  shall  ever 
pray  &c. 

In  answer  to  this  pet  the  deputyes  Judge  meet  to  graunt 
the  pet'^  five  hundred  Acres  of  land  where  he  can  find  it 
free  from  any  former  graunt,  C  Hono''*  Mags*^  consenting 
hereto. 

William  Torrey  Cleric 
8  : 11  :  1673 

Consented  to  by  the  Magis*«  Edward  Rawson 

Secret.* 

In  ans^  to  the  petition  of  Richard  Hollingsworth  the 
Court  judgeth  it  meet  to  grant  the  petitioner  five  hundred 
acres  of  land  where  he  can  find  it  free  from  any  former 
grant  Jan.  6  1G73-4  Records  of  Mass.  Vol.  4  part  2  1661-64 
p.  576. 

*  Mass.  Archives,  Vol.  59,  p.  127;  Hyde,  "Historical  Address,"  pp.  10,  11. 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  45 

The  following  Order  pass'd  in  Council,  &  Concur'd  by 
the  Represent^'^^  Viz. 

Upon  Representation  of  a  Grant  made  by  the  General 
Court  of  the  late  Massachusetts  Colony  in  the  year  1673, 
of  Five  Hundred  Acres  of  vacant  Land  to  Rich'^  Hollings- 
worth,  &  Assign'd  by  his  Heirs  to  Samuel  Prince; 

Ordered  in  case  there  be  no  Record  of  the  Laying  of  it 
out,  That  there  be  a  Survey  of  Five  Hundred  Acres  in  some 
of  the  vacant  Lands  within  the  late  Colony  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts, &  Reported  to  this  Court  for  Confirmation. 

Consented  to    J.  Dudley  ^ 

It  may  be  seen  from  the  above  that  Hollingsworth  never 
located  his  grant,  but  that  his  heirs  disposed  of  the  same  to 
Samuel  Prince,  who  in  1714  proceeded  to  have  the  tract  sur- 
veyed. This  was  two  years  earlier  than  the  survey  of  IMr. 
Read's  10,000  acres. 

A  description  and  plot  of  the  grant  as  located  is  preserved 
in  the  Massachusetts  Archives : 

A  plat  of  Five  Hundred  Acres  of  Land  presented  by 
Samuel  Prince  lying  upon  Hadly  Road  on  Ware  River, 
surveyed  by  William  ^Ya^d  Survey  being  a  Grant  of  that 
Quantity  of  Acres  by  the  General  Assembly  to  Richard 
Hollingsworth  in  the  year  1673:  Voted  a  Concurrence  with 
the  Order  pass'd  thereon  in  the  House  of  Represent^^^  Viz. 

Ordered  that  the  Plat  on  the  other  Side  be  allowed  & 
confirmed  as  the  Five  Hundred  Acres  of  Land  granted  by 
this  Court  to  Richard  HoUings worth  Anno  1673,  If  that 
Grant  has  not  been  laid  out  before,  and  this  Plat  does  not 
interfere  with  any  Prior  Grant  — 

Consented  to,  Jun.  14  —  1715  J.  Dudley.^ 

So  Prince  came  into  possession  of  a  definite  farm,  but  he 
never  settled  upon  it,  selling  it  shortly  after  to  Thomas 
Clarke  of  Boston,  who  evidently  purchased  it  as  a  specu- 
lation. 

Neither  the  deed  of  the  Hollingsworth  heirs  to  Samuel 
Prince,  nor  of  Prince  to  Thomas  Clarke,  appears  to  have 
been  registered;  but  we  find  on  record  ^  the  sale  of  the  land 

»  General  Court  Records,  Vol.  VIII,  B.  p.  75  (June  9,  1708). 
*  General  Court  Records,  Vol.  IX,  p.  396;  Maiss.  Archives,  Plans  and  Grants, 
Vol.  I,  p.  281. 

'  Springfield  Registry,  Book  E,  p.  409. 


46  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

in  1728  by  Thomas  Clarke  to  Jonas  Clarke  for  £3'-20,  no 
mean  price  for  an  unimproved  tract  at  that  period. 

To  all  People  unto  whom  this  Present  Deed  of  Sale  shall 
come,  Thomas  Clark  of  Boston  in  ye  County  of  Suffolk  in 
New  England  Merchant  sendeth  greeting;  Know  ye  that 
for  &  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  Three  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds  to  me  in  hand  well  and  truly  paid  at  and 
before  the  dehvery  of  these  presents  by  Jonas  Clark  of 
Boston  aforesaid  Brazier;  the  Receipt  of  which  sum  to  full 
Content  and  Satisfaction  is  hereby  acknowledged:  I  the 
sd.  Thomas  Clark  have  given  Granted  Bargained  Sold  Con- 
veyed &  Confirmed,  &  by  these  presents,  do  give  grant  bar- 
gain sell  convey  &  confirm  unto  the  sd.  Jonas  Clark  his 
heirs  &  assigns  forever,  all  that  my  certain  tract  or  parcel) 
of  land  scituate  lying  and  being  within  the  province  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay,  in  the  road  from  Brookfield  to  Hadley. 
Containing  by  estimation  five  hundred  acres  more  or  les 
as  the  same  is  Dehneated  and  Described  in  a  plann  there  ®' 
on  file  among  the  records  of  the  General  Court  or  assembj^ 
of  this  province;  which  sd.  land  upon  Wednesday  the  twen  ^ 
fifth  of  May  was  allowed  and  confirmed  as  the  five  hundr  ^ 
acres  of  land  Granted  unto  Richard  Hollingsworth,  ann^^ 
1673;  by  the  sd.  General  Court  and  is  the  same  land  whic^; 
the  sd.  Hollingsworths  heirs  sold  lately  unto  Samuel  Princ^ 
late  of  Rochester  yeoman;  of  whom  I  purchased  the  same® 
together  with  all  &  singular  the  trees  woods  underwood; 
profits  privilidges  &  appurtenances  to  the  sd.  granted  land, 
belonging  or  in  any  wise  appertaining,  and  the  revertions  & 
remainders  thereof;  To  Have  &  To  Hold  the  sd.  given  & 
granted  land  &  premisses  with  the  appurtenances  unto  the 
sd.  Jonas  Clark  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever;  to  his  and 
their  only  sole  and  proper  use  benefit  and  behoofe  from 
henceforth  &  forevermore;  and  I  the  sd.  Thomas  Clark  for 
my  self  my  heirs  executors  and  administrators  do  covenant 
promise  grant  &  agree  to  &  with  the  sd.  Jonas  Clark  his 
heirs  executors  administrators  and  assigns  by  these  presents 
in  manner  following;  that  is  to  say;  That  at  &  untill  the 
time  of  the  ensealing  &  delivery  of  these  presents  I  the  sd. 
Thomas  Clark  am  the  true  sole  &  lawfull  owner  of  the  sd. 
granted  land,  and  premisses;  having  in  my  self  full  power 
and  lawfull  authority  to  give  grant  bargain  sell  convey  & 
dispose  thereof  in  manner  as  aforesaid,  the  same  being  free 


>  Thomas  Clarke  &  Seale 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  47 

&  clear  and  clearly  acquitted  and  discharged  of  &  from  all 
&  all  manner  of  former  &  other  gifts  grants  bargains  sales 
leases  mortgages  wills  entailes  &  incumbrances  whatsoever; 
&  I  the  sd.  Thomas  Clark  for  me  my  heirs  executors  & 
administrators  do  further  covenant  and  grant  to  &  with  the 
said  Jonas  Clark  his  heirs  &  assigns  by  these  presents  to 
warrant  &  defend  the  sd.  granted  land  &  premisses  unto 
him  &  them  for  ever;  against  the  lawfull  claims  &  demands 
of  all  other  persons  whomsoever;  In  witness  Whereof  I 
the  sd.  Thomas  Clark  have  hereunto  sett  my  hand  &  seale 
the  twenty  fifth  day  of  January  in  the  second  yeare  of  his 
Majesties  Reigne;  annoqe  Domini;  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  &  twenty  eight. 

Signed  Sealed  &  Delivered 
in  presence  of  us 
John  Jeffries 
Joseph  Frost 

Received  the  day  &  yeare  above  written  of  Mr.  Jonas 
Clark  the  sum  of  three  hundred  &  twenty  pounds  in  full 
for  the  land  sold  him;  pr  me; 

Thomas  Clark. 

In  the  following  year  the  same  tract  was  conveyed  to 
Jabez  Omstead  of  Brookfield  for  £400,  at  a  handsome 
profit  to  Jonas  Clarke. 

A  careful  study  of  the  Hollingsworth  Tract  has  brought 
the  writer  to  an  unexpected  conclusion  in  regard  to  its  orig- 
inal location.  The  plan  of  Mr.  Samuel  Prince's  farm,  sur- 
veyed in  1714,  gives  but  two  important  landmarks  by  which 
to  determine  its  location,  Muddy  Brook  and  the  Hadley 
Road.  One  naturally  asks  why  the  Ware  River  was  not  in- 
dicated on  the  plan,  for  that  is  a  landmark  about  which 
there  never  could  be  any  question.  If  the  surveyors  crossed 
the  river  in  measuring  off  the  tract  they  could  hardly  have 
failed  to  indicate  it.  So  the  question  arises,  did  they  cross 
the  river-f^  Following  the  specifications  given  on  the  plot, 
and  drawing  the  Prince  Farm  to  the  scale  of  a  map  of  the 
whole  town,  it  immediately  becomes  apparent  that  if 
Muddy  Brook  entered  the  farm  at  the  point  indicated  by 
the  survey,  the  farm  would  not  include  the  falls  of  the 
river.    Furthermore,  when  the  Hadley  Road  was  projected  in 


48  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

its  most  ancient  position,  running  straight  across  the  town, 
or  as  nearly  so  as  possible,  from  the  narrows  of  the  Ware 
River  to  Swift  River  Bridge,  it  was  found  that  the  two 
landmarks  corresponded,  the  Hadley  Road  leaving  the 
Prince  Farm  just  where  the  latter  touched  the  edge  of  the 
INIanour  (though  the  Manour  was  not  plotted  until  nearly 
two  years  later) .  Thus  locating  the  farm  by  the  brook  and 
the  road,  we  find  that  it  does  not  reach  to  the  Ware  River 
at  all. 

Samuel  Prince,  for  whom  the  plat  was  made,  sold  the  farm 
to  Thomas  Clarke,  and  he  in  turn  sold  it  to  Jonas  Clarke. 
Thus  it  had  changed  hands  twice  before  it  was  bought  by 
Jabez  Omstead;  and  Omstead  was  the  first  to  locate  on  the 
tract,  doing  so  just  fifteen  years  after  the  plat  was  drawn. 
It  is  not  likely  that  a  single  one  of  the  corner  bounds  was 
recognizable  after  so  many  years,  and  the  farm  had  to  be 
practically  relocated.  What  more  natural  than  that  Om- 
stead should  have  run  his  lines  so  as  to  include  the  most  de- 
sirable territory  that  was  available?  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he 
did  run  them  so  as  to  include  the  falls  of  the  river. 

The  later  survey  of  1742  of  the  Marsh  Tract  and  part  of 
Kingston  locates  the  Omstead  farm,  not  where  theoretically 
it  should  be,  but  where  it  actually  was,  for  Omstead  had  then 
been  in  possession  twelve  years.  Instead  of  the  Hadley 
Road  running  through  the  middle  of  the  farm,  as  indicated 
in  the  plat  of  1714,  it  actually  ran  along  its  northern 
boundary. 

Tradition  has  it  that  Jabez  Omstead  built  a  house  just  on 
the  west  side  of  Ware  River  at  the  end  of  the  ancient  bridge 
above  the  village.  The  cellar-hole,  long  an  object  of  in- 
terest and  curiosity,  has  recently  been  filled  up  in  grading 
for  the  road  through  Grenville  Park.  Great  quantities  of 
ashes  mixed  with  the  earth  about  the  spot  lead  to  the  spec- 
ulation that  Jabez  set  up  a  leach  near  his  house  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  potash,  —  an  industry  pursued  by  the  early 
settlers  in  their  spare  time  to  a  considerable  extent.^ 

»  Jabez  sold  his  farm  in  Brookfield  July  9,  1729,  which  helps  us  fix  the  date  of 
his  removal  to  Ware.  Apparently  a  later  house  was  erected  east  of  the  Bank  —  "  It 
was  a  large  two  story  house,  called  '  the  Great  House,'  and  was  standing  when  the 
first  movements  were  made  to  erect  factories  here  in  1813.  Mr.  Demond  occupied 
it  for  a  year  or  more,  and  it  stood  till  1821."    Hyde,  Hist.  Add. 


A  Plan  ofa  tract  of  Land  Situate  in  the  County  of  Hampfhlrc 
in  His  Majefties  Province  of  the  Maftachnflts  Bay  in  New  Eng- 
land (viz)  14+3:  1'- 27"  a  Coontery  Grant  Belonging  to  Thomas 
Marlli  and  Compl'  Bounding  Northerly  on  Hardwick  Wellerly 
on  John  Read  Efq'  His  ten  thoufand  acres  Southerly  on  Kingston 
&  Eafterly  on  Ware  river  alfo  2959  acres  2  roods  and  25  rods  out 
of  Kington  Eiclufive  of  Jabez  Omfteds  farme  the  said  Kingston 
Land  bounds  Northerly  on  Thomas  Marlh  &  Comp  aforfaid  Weft 
on  Efq'  Reads  Land  and  runing  Eaft  by  the  Neadle  from  Efq' 
reads  South  Eaft  Corner  till  it  Strickes  Weltern  Line  as  may  be  Seen 
in  the  plan  and  Eaft  Bounding  by  Brooklield  Line  alfo  a  farme 
which  belongs  to  Jofeph  Btooks  Jun'  which  Lies  for  Sixty  acres 
within  the  Bounds  of  Brookfield  on  the  Weft  Side  of  Ware  river 
alfo  a  Line  Drawn  Et  from  Efq'  Reads  South  Well  Corner  at 
Swift  river  through  Kingston  Et  by  the  Neadle  uH  it  Strikei 
Weftern  Line  Containing  489'-  l'-  20' 

Surveyed  Nov;  25  and  26-1742  p  Nath"  Dwight  Sur- 

veyor Chainmin  Si  Surveyor  under  Oath   Plated  by  a  Scale  of 


"^^^C^ 


''^fe^ 


t^&^ik.JQM    P"^  ^"^^J^f^^i^fii^i^ 


\/Mj>i 


Reproduced  from  Mr.  E.  B-  O'Unfa  "Early  Grants" 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  49 

To  Jabez  Orastead  is  due  the  credit  for  establishing  the 
first  mills,  locating  them  at  the  point  in  the  river  now  occu- 
pied by  Stevens's  dam.  There  are  no  means  at  hand  for  de- 
termining the  date  of  the  establishment  of  Omstead's  Mills. 
Hay  ward's  Mill  in  Brookfield  was  set  up  before  1708;  a 
grist-mill  was  put  in  at  the  falls  in  Western  (now  Warren) 
about  1720.  In  1731  a  saw-mill  was  in  operation  at  the 
outlet  of  Potaquatuck  Pond  (Forest  Lake)  and  a  grist-mill 
in  1737.  In  1736  a  grist-mill  was  erected  on  Steward 
Southgate's  mill-lot  on  the  Ware  River,  south-west  of  Pota- 
quatuck Pond.  It  is  supposed  that  Omstead's  Mills  ante- 
dated these  last-named,  and  were  the  first  mills  erected  on 
the  Elbow  Tract. 

The  earliest  reference  to  them  that  I  have  found  occurs  in 
a  deed  dated  1743,  when  Jabez,  *'in  consideration  of  the 
tender  respect  I  bear  unto  my  loving  son  Israel  Omstead," 
gives  him  94|  acres  of  land  "on  the  East  side  of  Ware 
River,  beginning  at  the  end  of  the  bridge  below  the  mill." 
Nine  years  later,  in  1752,  Jabez  Omstead  for  £50  sells  to 
Job  Lane  of  Brookfield, 

the  one  half  of  my  Grist-mill  and  Stream  on  Ware  River 
at  the  falls  where  the  Mill  now  stands  with  all  priviledges 
and  appurtenances  thereto  belonging  or  in  any  wise  apper- 
taining. 

bis 

Jabez  X  Omstead 
April  2,  1752.  Tr'' 

Martha  X  Omstead 

mark 

Jabez  Omstead  died  in  1753.  In  1759  certain  of  his  heirs, 
Noah  Gilbert  and  Sarah  Gilbert,  husbandman  and  spinster, 
both  of  Ware,  for  £233„6„8,  sell  to  Isaac  Magoon  the  tract 
known  as  the  Omstead  farm,  "with  appurtenances  and 
privileges  to  the  same  belonging,  viz.  House  and  Barn, 
Saw  mill  and  Grist  mill  with  all  the  appurtenances  to  them 
belonging."  Exception  is  made  of  the  rights  and  titles  of 
the  heirs  of  Martha  Omstead,  wife  of  Thomas  Hammond, 
and  of  Thankful  Omstead,  wife  of  Timothy  Brown.  Ruth 
Brown  of  Palmer  in  the  same  year  sells  to  Magoon  her  share 
in  "the  estate  of  my  honored  Grandfather,  Jabez  Omstead 


50  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

late  of  Ware  River,"  for  £2„8.     Quitclaims  of  the  other 
heirs  I  have  not  found.^ 

Judging  from  the  numerous  traditions  that  have  survived 
even  to  the  present  day,  we  may  be  sure  that  Jabez  Om- 
stead  was  indeed  a  man  of  importance.  He  was  probably 
born  in  Connecticut  about  1690.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
Queen  Anne's  war  from  Deerfield,  Massachusetts,  in  1709. 
In  1712  he  married  Thankful,  daughter  of  Thomas  Barnes 
of  BrookdSeld.  Eleven  children  were  born,  part  in  Brook- 
field,  part  in  Ware.  A  second  wife,  Martha,  he  married  in 
later  life. 

In  1736,  seven  years  after  his  removal  from  Brookfield  to 
Ware,  we  find  a  petition  of  Jabez  Omstead  of  Ware  River 
praj'ing  for  a  grant  of  province  land  "in  consideration  for 
his  good  services  in  the  late  Wars  against  the  French  and 
Indians,  and  the  Wounds  he  has  received  with  the  expense 
he  has  been  at  for  the  cure  of  them."  It  was  ordered  that  200 
acres  be  granted  him  of  the  unappropriated  lands,  provided 
he  returns  a  plot  within  twelve  months  for  confirmation,  and 
provided  the  petitioner,  his  heirs  or  assigns,  "  build  on  the 
premises  within  three  years  a  house  18  feet  square  at  the 
least,  and  7  ft.  stud,  and  break  up  or  bring  to  English  grass 
five  acres,  and  fence  the  same."  In  1738  Omstead  prays  for 
further  time,  "as  through  some  disappointments  he  has  not 
been  able  to  lay  out  the  same  within  the  time  limited."  It 
was  ordered  "that  the  time  be  extended  12  months  from 
the  present,  and  two  years  to  fulfill  the  conditions  of  the 
grant."  I  find  no  records  to  show  that  he  ever  located  the 
grant. 

In  the  Old  French  and  Indian  Wars  (1744-49)  Capt. 
Jabez  Omstead  was  active,  taking  part  in  the  expedition 
against  Louisburg  in  1745.  He  commanded  the  10th  Co.  in 
Col.  Samuel  Willard's  4th  Mass.  Regiment. 

The  fact  that  he  held  a  commission  disposes  of  the  tra- 
dition that  Jabez  had  Indian  blood  in  his  veins,  none  but 
white  men  holding  commands  in  the  Indian  Wars,  —  at 
least  on  the  British  side. 

*  Large  portions  of  the  original  tract  were  sold  at  various  times  by  Jabez  Om- 
stead, and  much  of  his  estate  given  to  his  children  before  his  death. 

Previous  to  this  sale,  in  17.58,  Jeremiah  Omstead  for  £l5  quitclaimed  his  share 
in  the  estate  of  Jabez  Omstead,  his  father,  to  Noah  Gilbert  of  AYare  River  Parish. , 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  61 

That  he  was  a  "mighty  hunter"  is  altogether  probable, 
for  much  of  his  life  was  passed  in  the  woods.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  he  could  read  and  write.  He  usually  made  his  mark 
to  legal  documents,  yet  signatures  purported  to  be  his  are 
in  existence,  and  we  know  that  commissioned  oflScers  ordi- 
narily made  reports  under  their  own  hand. 

The  following  anecdote  is  preserved  by  Mr.  Hyde  —  "  On 
the  return  of  the  army  to  Boston  from  Louisburg,  he  was  in- 
vited with  the  officers  to  dine  with  Governor  Shirley.  The 
pudding  he  found  to  be  too  hot;  and  taking  it  from  his 
mouth,  and  laying  it  upon  the  side  of  his  plate,  he  said  he 
would  keep  it  to  light  his  pipe  with." 

Following  is  the  inventory  of  his  estate,  interesting  as 
showing  the  substance  of  a  well-to-do  man  of  the  period, 
and  one  of  our  earliest  settlers.  Appraisal  dated  April  10, 
1753. 

To 


£ 

s    d  q 

Chairs 

0 

10  8  0 

Cart  boxes  &  hoops 

0 

10  1  3 

Plough-irons 

0 

5  4  0 

Fire  peate  &  tonges 

0 

3  4  0 

Betel  rings  &  wedge 

0 

3  8  3 

Stiliards 

0 

4  0  0 

Pepper  mill 

0 

5  4  0 

Tramil  pot  &  pot  hooks 

0 

12  0  0 

One  Iron  Kittle 

0 

3  4  0 

One  Brass  Kittle 

0 

12  0  0 

One  scythe 

0 

14  0 

Old  puter 

0 

7  6  2 

One  wine  glass 

0 

0  8  0 

Woodden  ware 

0 

8  0  0 

One  hetchel 

0 

6  8  0 

two  axes 

0 

4  8  0 

One  frying  pan 

0 

3  4  0 

Woodden  dishes 

0 

18  0 

One  jugg 

0 

0  4  3 

Three  chairs 

0 

3  6  0 

One  table 

0 

3  4  0 

One  small  table 

0 

2  4  3 

One  chest  with  draws 

0 

6  8  0 

Books 

0 

2  0  0 

52 


HISTORY  OF  WARE 


One  foot  wheel 

0 

12  0  0 

One  woden  wheel 

0 

14  0 

Wool  cards 

0 

14  1 

One  powder  horn  &  bullet  pouch 

0 

0  8  0 

Two  Sives 

0 

2  0  0 

Baskets 

0 

14  0 

One  paire  of  shears 

0 

10  3 

One  pair  of  bridle  bits 

0 

0  6  0 

One  bushel 

0 

14  0 

One  half  bushel 

0 

0  9  2 

One  bed  stead 

0 

2  8  0 

One  cheas  press 

0 

14  0 

One  sickele 

0 

14  0 

One  Kneeding  trough 

0 

10  3 

Harrow  teeth 

0 

3  2  1 

One  pitch  fork 

0 

10  3 

Knives 

0 

10  0 

Flax 

1 

13  1 

One  Saddle 

0 

4  0  0 

beds  and  beding 

2 

16  3  1 

his  wareing  cloaths 

2 

11  8  3 

four  swine 

1 

6  8  0 

One  yoke  of  young  oxen 

7 

6  8  0 

One  horse 

5 

6  8  0 

One  read  cow 

2 

13  4  0 

One  Brown  cow 

2 

5  4  0 

One  calf 

0 

8  0  0 

The  one  half  of  a  grist  mill  and 

priviledge  for  the  same 

40 

0  0  0 

The    Dwelling    house    and    the 

Barn  and  all  his  lands  lying  in 

one  body 

195 

13  4  0 

Sum  total 

269 

16  3  0 

^^L^CinglAp^ra^,! 

Samuel  Davis 

) 

□aivA   voi/u 

Changes  in  Boundaries 

The  Land  Grants  settle  for  us  the  original  town  bounds, 
but  these  bounds  underwent  important  and  interesting 
changes  as  the  years  went  on.    The  first  of  these  changes 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  53 

was  one  comprising  the  Magoon  farm.    The  history  is  briefly 
related  in  the  General  Court  Records: 

May  29,  1761.  A  Petition  of  Isaac  Magoon  and  Alex- 
ander Magoon  Sons  and  heirs  to  the  whole  of  the  Estate  of 
Isaac  Magoon  late  of  Ware  River  Parish  in  the  County  of 
Hampshire  deceased  —  Setting  forth  —  That  they  own 
about  four  hundred  Acres  of  Land  in  the  Northerly  part  of 
Palmer,  which  lyes  five  miles  distant  from  Ware  River 
Meeting  House,  and  the  Road  naturally  good  And  Praying 
that  they  may  be  annexed  to  said  Ware  River  Parish. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Read  and  Ordered 
That  the  Petitioners  serve  the  District  of  Palmer  with  a 
copy  of  this  Petition,  that  so  they  may  shew  cause  (if  any 
they  have)  on  the  first  Thursday  of  the  next  Sitting  of  this 
Court  why  the  Prayer  thereof  should  not  be  granted. 

In  Council  Read  and  Concurred 

Nov.  18  1761  A  Petition  of  Isaac  Magoon  and  Alexander 
Magoon  —  Praying  as  entered  29*"^  May  last  that  Four 
hundred  Acres  of  land  the  Estate  of  their  late  Father  Isaac 
Magoon,  lying  in  Palmer  may  be  annexed  to  Ware  River 
Parish. 

In  Council  Read  again  and  it  appearing  that  the  Peti- 
tioners had  pursued  the  order  of  Court  with  regard  to  noti- 
fication. Ordered  that  the  Estate  mentioned  in  said  Peti- 
tion be,  and  it  hereby  is  annexed  to  the  Parish  of  Ware 
River  and  the  Inhabitants  or  Possessors  of  the  said  Estate 
to  do  duty  and  receive  priviledge  therein. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  Read  and  Concurred 

Consented  to  by  the  Governor  ^ 

This  change  accounts  for  the  curious  irregularity  in  Ware's 
southern  boundary  line. 

More  important  than  the  land  thus  added  to  the  town- 
ship was  the  annexation  of  the  Magoon  family,  several  mem- 
bers of  which  had  already  partially  annexed  themselves; 
Isaac  Magoon  having  bought  the  Omstead  farm  and  the 
mills  less  than  two  years  before.  It  was  a  sturdy  Scotch- 
Irish  family,  one  always  to  be  reckoned  with  in  affairs  both 
of  church  and  state,  ever  ready  to  "make  trouble  "  if  so 
moved.    One  member  or  another  of  the  family  was  frequently 

»  General  Court  Records,  Vol.  XXIV,  p.  110. 


54  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

being  disciplined  in  the  church.*  It  is  not  recorded  that  the 
Pahner  people  protested  in  any  way  against  this  transfer  of 
territory  and  of  allegiance. 

East  of  Ware  River 

The  bounds  of  Ware  on  the  east  are  thus  given  in  the  peti- 
tion for  incorporation  in  1742.  "On  Brookfield  to  Wear 
River,  thence  on  Wear  River  to  Hardwick." 

Now  the  town  bulges  out  on  the  east  side  of  the  river. 
The  addition  of  that  tract  to  Ware  took  place  in  1755,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  following :  ^ 

The  petition  of  Ebenezor  Gilburd  Henry  Gilburd,  Oliver 
Gilburd  and  Samuell  Densmore  all  of  Brookfield  Humbly 
sheweth  that  your  memorialists  have  ever  lived  at  a  very 
great  distance  from  the  place  of  public  worship  in  said 
town  that  we  nor  our  families  have  not  been  able  to  attend 
Publick  worship  (w)her  we  have  lived,  But  about  half  so 
far  from  hardwick  or  Ware  River  place  of  worship  yet  in 
the  year  1749  we  paid  a  heavy  tax  .  .  .  etc.  (Further 
reasons  for  being  set  off  to  Ware  River  Parish)  .  .  .  that 
we  with  our  inhabitants  be  sett  off  from  said  town  of  Brook- 
field and  be  annexed  to  Ware  River  Parish  in  the  County 
of  Hampshire  our  situation  from  Ware  River  Parish  Being 
almost  three  times  so  nere  as  to  the  meeting  house  in  our 
said  first  parish  .  .  . 

In  House  of  Rep.  June  10  1755  Read  and  ordered  that 
the  petitioners  serve  the  First  parish  in  Brookfield  also 
Ware  River  Parish  with  this  petition  that  they  may  show 
cause  why  the  prayer  should  not  be  granted. 

Dec.  26  1755  —  Read  again. 

No  answer  having  been  received  from  Brookfield  or  Ware 
River,  the  petition  is  granted.  "The  petitioners  with  the 
estates  where  they  live  be  annexed  to  said  Parish  at  Ware 
River,  there  to  do  duty  &  receive  privilege  as  other  inhabi- 
tants there  do." 

In  the  house  Read  &  Concurred. 

Consented  to  by  the  Governor 

'  For  example  (one  of  many):  May  21,  1790:  "Voted  to  chuse  a  committee  of 
two  to  go  and  converse  with  Isaac  Magoon  and  wife  for  not  attending  Publick  wor- 
ship but  seldom,  and  sundry  other  things."  Also  "to  converse  with  Mary  Ann 
Magoon." 

*  This  petition  escaped  the  notice  of  Mr.  Gilbert.    See  "Early  Grants,"  p.  43. 


^'*''^-*r^Q^ 


^^^ 


V 


-\ 


TOWN  OF  WARE 

Taken  from  a  survey  made  in  April,  1795 

Daniel  Gould 
Simeon  Cummings 
David  Broum 
Isaac  Pepper 


Selectmen 

of 

Ware 


SETTLING  ON  THE  LAND  55 

Feb.  22,  1757  — 

An  order  on  the  Court  that  these  persons  pay  Province 
County  &  Town  Taxes  assessed  since  the  dividing  of  said 
First  Parish  in  said  Town  to  the  time  of  their  being  annexed 
to  the  Parish  of  Ware  River. 


Daniel  Coney  Farm 

The  last  piece  of  territory  added  to  the  town  was  the 
Daniel  Coney  farm,  in  1823. 

That  farm  in  the  south-east  corner  of  the  present  town, 
which  lies  in  the  angles  caused  by  the  irregular  lines  on  the 
eastern  side,  was  the  property  of  Daniel  Coney,  who  secured 
in  1823  the  passage  of  an  act  of  Legislature  which  annexed 
him  to  Ware.    The  Act  reads  as  follows:  ^ 

An  Act  to  annex  Daniel  Coney,  with  his  Estate,  to  the 
Town  of  Ware. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives, 
in  General  Court  assembled,  and  by  the  authority  of  the 
same,  that  Daniel  Coney,  with  so  much  of  his  estate  as  is 
within  the  bounds  of  the  Towns  of  Brookfield  and  Western, 
in  the  County  of  Worcester,  be,  and  they  are  hereby  set  off 
from  said  towns  and  annexed  to  the  Town  of  Ware,  in  the 
County  of  Hampshire;  and  he  shall  hereafter  be  subject 
to  all  the  duties  and  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  an  in- 
habitant of  said  Town  of  Ware:  Provided  however,  said 
Daniel  Coney  shall  be  liable  to  pay  all  taxes  that  have  been 
legally  assessed  on  him,  by  said  Towns  of  Brookfield  and 
Weston.2 

Approved  by  the  Governor,  February  S***  1823. 

Three  attempts  were  made  to  change  our  boundary  lines 
which  failed.  The  first  was  in  1825  when  a  petition  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Legislature  by  Ebenezer  Sherman,  Edmund 
Pope,  Snow  Sherman,  John  Shaw  and  Josiah  Woodward 
that  a  tract  of  land  in  the  north-west  corner  of  the  town 
containing  488  acres,  comprising  the  territory  of  what  has  of 
late  been  known  as  West  Ware,  be  set  off  from  Ware,  and 

^  Gilbert,  "  Early  Grants  " 

2  Laws  of  Mass.,  Vol.  LX,  p.  114,  chap.  Ixxvi. 


5Q  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

annexed  to  Enfield.  The  reasons  given  are  that  the  ordinary 
business  of  the  petitioners  is  transacted  in  Enfield,  the  roads 
are  better  in  that  direction,  and  each  of  the  petitioners  lives 
nearer  the  meeting-house  in  Enfield  than  in  Ware.  A  care- 
fully elaborated  table  of  distances  is  given  with  the  petition, 
in  which  the  differences  are  ridiculously  small,  varying  for 
the  different  individuals  from  a  few  rods  to  a  mile  and  a 
quarter. 

A  committee  of  the  town  of  Ware  consisting  of  Alpheus 
Demond,  William  Bowdoin  and  Homer  Bartlett  make 
formal  objection  to  the  change,  replying  that  the  reasons 
set  forth  by  the  petitioners  are  frivolous;  that  the  town  of 
Ware  is  none  too  large;  that  the  change  would  upset  the  ar- 
rangements of  School  Districts;  that  the  tract  is  bounded  in 
such  manner  as  to  skilfully  avoid  its  share  of  highway's  and 
bridges. 

The  petitioners  were  promptly  granted  "Leave  to  With- 
draw." 

In  the  same  year,  1825,  a  petition  was  presented  to  the 
Legislature  signed  by  Joseph  Cummings,  Jr.,  Samuel  Gould, 
Downing  Gould,  John  Gould,  Benj.  Paige  and  Alpheus  De- 
mond, requesting  that  certain  lands  which  they  owned  in  the 
north-easterly  corner  of  Palmer,  amounting  to  about  160 
acres,  be  annexed  to  Ware,  "that  the  line  of  Western  and 
W^are  may  join  so  as  to  take  the  road  into  the  towns  of 
Western  and  Ware."  An  order  of  notice  was  passed,  but  the 
matter  was  referred  to  the  next  General  Court.  The  peti- 
tion was  repeated  in  1827.  It  appears  from  the  records  that 
the  town  of  Ware  opposed  the  petition,  and  the  petitioners 
were  granted  "Leave  to  Withdraw." 

The  other  attempt,  equally  unsuccessful,  was  that  of 
Sylvester  Bowen  in  1851.  His  farm  occupied  the  southern 
section  of  what  was  known  as  the  Hardwick  Gore. 

The  Gore  is  a  long  narrow  strip  of  land  lying  east  of  the 
northern  part  of  Ware,  bordering  on  the  Ware  River.  The 
south-west  boundary  stone  of  the  tract  stands  in  the  centre 
of  Quabbin  Island,  just  below  the  old  log  bridge  across 
the  river.  The  tract  contained  about  two  hundred  acres  of 
land,  and  by  some  curious  oversight  had  remained  unincor- 
porated until   1833.     The  few  inhabitants,  possessing  no 


SETTLING   ON  THE  LAND  57 

town  privileges,  had  voted  for  state  officers  at  Hardwick, 
and  were  there  assessed  their  state  tax. 

Attempts  were  made  from  time  to  time  to  annex  the  Gore 
to  Hardwick,  but  the  final  accomplishment  was  not  affected 
until  Feb.  6,  1833. 

The  importance  of  the  Gore  today  lies  in  the  fact  that 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  village  of  Gilbertville  has  grown  up 
upon  it. 

About  one-third  of  the  Gore,  the  southern  portion,  be- 
longed to  Sylvester  Bowen.  On  Jan.  20,  1851,  he  petitions 
the  State  Legislature  that  his  land,  together  with  all  the 
buildings,  may  be  set  off  from  Hardwick  and  annexed  to 
Ware. 

The  Hardwick  Selectmen  remonstrate  that 

(1)  But  a  few  years  since  Bowen  petitioned  to  be  an- 
nexed to  Hardwick,  his  land  at  that  time  belonging  to  no 
incorporated  town. 

(2)  The  expense  to  Hardwick  of  building  roads  to 
Bowen's  property  has  been  nearly  $1,500,  which  the  town 
would  not  have  been  subject  to  had  not  s'^  Bowen  with  others 
been  annexed  to  our  territory. 

(3)  Bowen  has  been  allowed  his  portion  of  school  money 
from  his  own  district,  and  permitted  to  use  the  same  in 
Ware  where  he  has  been  better  accommodated. 

(4)  The  territory  is  of  value  to  us  as  a  town,  present 
and  prospective,  and  as  long  as  we  have  "  shook  the  bush" 
we  think  we  are  entitled  "  to  the  Bird," 

(5)  The  change  would  require  alteration  of  the  County 
Line. 

(6)  There  is  no  reason  why  Bowen's  estate  should  not 
remain  within  its  present  incorporated  limits. 

Bowen  is  given  "Leave  to  Withdraw." 

The  last  boundary  change  of  any  sort  was  accomplished 
in  1908  when  the  zig-zag  line  between  Ware  and  Palmer, 
left  by  the  irregularity  of  the  Magoon  fences,  was  straight- 
ened somewhat,  and  simplified. 


IV 

The  Parish 

The  first  move  toward  corporate  life  in  any  community  of 
settlers  was  the  establishment  of  public  worship.  The 
support  of  such  worship  was  not  a  private  and  voluntary 
matter  as  it  is  today.  Religion  was  a  public  institution,  and 
its  support  by  the  citizens  obligatory.  A  man  was  obliged 
to  belong  to  some  parish.  John  King,  who  built  his  log  cabin 
on  the  Elbow  Tract  in  1716,^  acknowledged  a  quasi  residence 
in  Springfield;  i.e.  had  religious  privileges  there,  it  being 
the  meeting-house  nearest  his  dwelling-place.  For  though 
he  was  a  squatter  on  Province  land,  he  was  required  by  law 
to  attend  religious  worship  with  the  organized  church  next 
to  his  abode. 

The  people  who  settled  on  what  is  now  the  territory  of 
Ware  were  obliged  to  attend  and  support  preaching  at  the 
Elbows,  where  the  first  meeting-house  was  erected  in  1735 
at  what  is  now  Palmer  Centre.  We  know  there  had  been 
regular  pastoral  ministrations  for  a  number  of  years  pre- 
vious. 

To  form  a  parish,  the  consent  of  the  General  Court  was 
required.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1742  the  families  living  in 
the  remote  northern  portion  of  the  Elbow  Tract  resolved  to 
ask  permission  to  establish  and  maintain  public  worship 
among  themselves.  The  following  petition  tells  its  own 
story. 

To  his  Excellency  W™  Shirley  Esq.  —  Captain  General 
and  Governour  in  Chief,  the  honorable  the  Council  and 
Representatives  in  General  Court  assembled  2Q^^  May  1742. 
The  petition  of  Thos.  Marsh  and  others  to  the  number  of 
33  householders  about  &  between  Wear  River  &  Swift 
River  near  Brookfield,  humbly  sheweth.  That  your  Peti- 
tioners are  settled  on  a  tract  of  land  bounded,  beginning  at 

*  Temple,  "Ilistory  of  Palmer,"  p.  32. 


THE  PARISH 


59 


the  South  West  ^  Corner  of  the  ten  thousand  acres  of  Equiv- 
alent Lands  at  Swift  River,  thence  running  due  East  to 
Brookfield  bounds,  thence  on  Brookfield  to  Wear  River, 
thence  on  Wear  River  to  Hardwick,  thence  on  Hardwick  to 
the  ten  thousand  acres  of  Equivalent  Lands  aforesaid  and 
thence  on  the  bounds  of  the  said  said  Ten  thousand  acres 
including  the  same  unto  the  first  mentioned  boundary.  They 
dwell  at  a  great  distance  from  any  place  of  publick  worship, 
most  of  them  six  or  seven  miles  and  therefore  cannot  injoy 
that  privilege  in  their  present  condition:  but  as  their  hearts 
are  sincerely  desirous  of  the  public  worship  of  God  they 
persuade  themselves  they  shall  be  able  chearfully  to  bear 
the  charge  that  will  attend  it.  But  as  some  of  them  belong 
to  the  town  of  the  Elbows,  some  to  Brookfield  and  the  rest 
of  them  live  on  farms  of  the  Province  Grants  they  cannot 
properly  and  lawfully  proceed  to  erect  &  maintain  the  public 
worship  of  God  among  them  without  the  aid  of  this  Court, 
&  therefore  Pray  this  honorable  Court  by  a  suitable  Com- 
mittee of  this  Court,  to  inquire  into  their  state  &  circum- 
stances &  make  them  a  separate  &  distinct  Township  or 
Parish  &  your  Petitioners  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray  &c. 

(Signed) 

John  Read,  for  the  Pet" 


Thomas  Marsh 
Isaac  Magoon 
John  Post 
Samuel  Davis 
Jabez  Omsted 
Joseph  Marsh 
Richard  Rogers 
Jacob  Commins 
Samuel  Allen 
Paul  Thurston 


Edward  Ayers 
Isaac  Magoon  jun 
William  Patteson 
Joseph  Simonds 
Job  Corly 
Samuel  Marsh 
Judah  Marsh 
Ephram  Marsh 
Jeramiah  Omstead 
Israel  Omstead 


Jacob  Commins  jun 
Naum  Davies 
James  Commins 
Joseph  Marks  Sen' 
Joseph  Marks 
Joseph  Brooks 
Bengman  Shiple 
John  Andrason 
Thomas  Chapen 
Daniel  Housten  ^ 


In  the  House  of  Representatives  June  S***  1742 
Read  &  Ordered  that  Capt.  Partridge  &  Capt.  Converse 
with  such  as  the  Hon'''^  Board  shall  joine  be  a  committee  to 

'  The  petition  begs  that  the  south  bound  be  run  east  from  the  south-west  comer 
of  tbe  Read  Tract,  while  the  report  which  was  accepted  actually  runs  this  bound 
from  the  south-easi  comer,  thus  granting  489  acres  less  than  was  petitioned  for. 
Mr.  Hyde  gives  south-west  corner  in  both  cases,  but  in  this  is  incorreat.  —  General 
Court  Records,  Vol.  XVII  (3),  p.  529. 

2  The  original  petition  is  preserved  in  the  State  Archives.  The  signatures  are 
here  copied  exactly  from  the  original. 


60  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

view  the  state  &  circumstances  of  the  Petitioners,  they 
giving  seasonable  notice  to  the  Inhabitants  or  Proprietors 
of  Brookfield  &  the  Elbows  (so  called)  &  the  Inhabitants 
of  Western  who  may  be  affected  thereby  that  they  may  be 
present  at  the  meeting  of  said  committee  if  they  see  cause: 
The  Committee  to  report  as  soon  as  may  be,  what  they 
judge  proper  for  the  Court  to  do  in  answer  to  this  petition. 

In  Council:  Read  &  Concur'd,  and  Joseph  Wilder  Esq"" 
is  joined  in  the  affair 

Consented  to  W.  Shirley 

Dec.  7*^  1742  Joseph  Wilder  Esq'  from  the  Committee  of 
both  Houses  on  the  Petition  of  Thomas  Marsh  &  others 
gave  in  the  following  report  vizt.^  The  Committee  appointed 
on  the  Petitions  of  Thomas  Marsh  &  others  living  near 
Wear  River  in  the  County  of  Hampshire  have  attended  on 
said  service,  been  upon  the  spot  and  viewed  the  Lands 
prayed  for  to  be  erected  into  a  Township,  inquired  into  the 
circumstances  of  the  Petitioners,  heard  the  objections  of 
some  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Kingston  and  are  of  opinion 
that  the  Petitioners  at  present  are  not  in  sufficient  order 
to  erect  a  Town  with  privileges  &c. ;  but  in  as  much  as  they 
live  at  a  very  great  distance  from  any  place  of  publick 
Worship  and  meet  with  great  difficulty  thereby.  We  are 
further  of  Opinion  that  the  Petitioners  living  Northward  of 
a  line  running  due  East  from  the  South  East  corner  of  the 
land  belonging  to  John  Read  Esq"^  to  Western  Line,  be 
freed  from  all  Taxes  to  any  other  place  or  Town  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  General  Court,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to 
provide  Preaching  among  themselves 

In  the  Name  and  by  Order  of  the  Comm*^*^ 

Jos.  Wilder 

In  Council;  Read  &  Ordered  that  this  Report  be  Ac- 
cepted, and  that  the  lands  within  the  Limits  above  men- 
tioned and  the  Inhabitants  thereon  be  erected  into  a  Pre- 
cinct, and  that  the  said  Inhabitants  have  the  Powers  & 
Privileges  which  other  Precincts  do  or  by  law  ought  to  enjoy, 
and  that  they  be  and  hereby  are  obliged  to  maintain  the 
publick  Worship  of  God  among  them  in  the  support  of  a 
learned  orthodox  Minister. 

In  the  House  of  Represent^^^  Read  &  Concurred 

Consented  to  W:  Shirley 

1  General  Court  Records.  Vol.  XVII  (3),  p.  529. 


THE  PARISH  61 

It  would  appear  from  these  records  that  the  people  to  the 
south  made  little  objection  to  the  dismemberment  of  the 
parish  already  in  existence  at  the  Elbows.  That  such  was 
not  the  case  may  be  seen  from  the  following: 

The  Memorial  of  sundry  of  the  Proprietors  of  the  El- 
bow Tract  in  the  County  of  Hampshire,  Sheweth  —  That 
whereas  we  are  informed  that  your  Excellency  and  Honours 
appointed  a  committee  to  view  a  tract  of  land  lying  between 
Swift  River  and  Brookfield,  petitioned  for  by  Thomas 
Marsh  and  others;  and  that  s^  committee  have  been  upon 
the  spott,  to  view  the  same:  &  understanding  that  part  of 
s^  Land  is  in  our  town  bounds:  and  we  having  had  no  Notiss 
thereof  only  bi  a  few  lines  sent  from  s^  committee  to  the 
Clerk  of  our  town  the  day  before  s*^  committee  viewed  the 
same;  and  so  having  no  opportunity  to  know  how  much  of 
s^  lands  petitioned  for  belongs  to  our  town;  nor  to  offer  our 
reasons  and  objections  against  said  petition:  We  pray  that 
y"*^  Excell^  &  Hon"  would  not  proceed  to  act  anything  on 
s^  Committee's  Report  concerning  the  same,  until  we  have 
had  opportunity  to  offer  our  reasons  to  the  contrary. 

Wm  Pynchon,  David  Shaw,  Barnard  McNitt, 
John  King,  Samuel  Shaw,  James  Brakenridge, 
John  Thomson. 
Elbows  Tract,  Oct.  y«  30th,  1742. 

The  first  warrant  for  a  meeting  of  the  freeholders  is  as 
follows : 

Hampshire  S.  S.  To  Jacob  Cummins,  one  of  the  free- 
holders, &  Inhabitants  Liveing  on  the  land  in  said  County, 
North  ward  of  a  line  Run  due  East  from  the  South  East 
Corner  of  the  land  belonging  to  John  Read  Esq.  to  Western 
line,  being  the  land  Petitioned  for  by  Thomas  Marsh  and 
others,  and  set  of  a  Separate  Precinct,  by  the  General  Court 
of  this  Province,  at  the  last  General  Court. 

Whereas  you  the  said  Jacob  Cummings,  Thomas  Marsh, 
Jabes  Omstead,  Isaac  Magoon,  Joseph  Simonds,  Joseph 
Brooks,  Wil'm  Blackmore  and  Sam'l  Davis,  Some  of  the 
freeholders  and  Inhabitants  Liveing  In  said  Precinct,  Have- 
ing  made  application  to  me,  that  I  would  grant  a  warrant 
for  the  Calling  of  a  meeting  of  the  freeholders  aiid  other 

*  Mass.  Archives. 


62  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Inhabitants  of  said  Precinct  to  meet  at  the  house  of  Jabe^ 
Omstead,  In  said  Precinct  on  the  third  tusday  of  march  next' 
at  ten  Clock,  forenoon,  then  &  there  to  transact  and  pase 
Proper  votes  on  the  following  Parteculars:  viz, 

1 :   to  choose  a  moderator. 

2dly:   to  Choose  a  Clark. 

Sly;  to  Choose  a  Committee  to  manage  the  Publick  affairs 
of  said  Precinct,  Assessors,  Treasurer,  Collector  In  s'd  Pre- 
cinct, and  all  Neissary  officers  In  said  Precinct. 

4thly;  to  grant  such  sum  and  sums  of  money,  as  are 
nesary  for  the  defreying  the  Chargs  of  said  Precinct, 
past,  and  what  shall  be  thought  Proper  in  order  to  maintain 
the  Publick  worshep  of  god  among  them  and  other  publick 
charges  in  said  place  for  the  futuer. 

5ly;  to  agree  and  appoint  what  day  of  the  month  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Inhabitants  of  s'd  Precinct  shall  be: 
as  in  and  by  there  application,  under  thare  hand  appear. 

These  are  tharefore  in  his  Majesties  name  to  will  and  Re- 
quire you  forthwith  to  Notifie  the  freeholders  and  other 
Inhabitants  of  s'd  Precinct  Qualified  acording  to  Law  to 
vote  in  Town  affairs.  That  theay  meet  and  assamble 
together  at  the  time  and  place  afore  s'd,  for  the  end  and 
purpose  afore  s'd; 

Given  under  myhand  and  seal  at  Springfield,  this  eight- 
eenth day  of  Febuary,  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  his  Majesties 
Raigne,  A'dom:  1742. 

Wm.  Pynchon,  Just's  Pace. 

the  inhabitants  of  this  Place  have  been  nottifide  of  this 
meating,  according  as  the  law  dos  dirict,  by  me,  Jacob 
Cummings  March  the  15  day,  174|. 

Jacob  Cummings  chosen  moderator  of  s'd  meting:  John 
Post,  chosen  Clark:  Jacob  Cummings,  first  commity  man; 
Eadward  Ayers  chosen  a  commity  man:  Joseph  Simons, 
chosen  a  Commity  man: 

John  Post,  Eadward  Ayers,  &  Joseph  Simons,  chosen 
assesars:  Jacob  Cummings  chosen  trysher:  Samuel  Davis 
chosen  colecter.  Voted  to  Raise  ten  Pound  &  six  shillings, 
to  pay  the  charge  of  the  committe,  servairs,  and  chain-man, 
and  for  the  warrant  old  tenour 

Voted  to  Raise  fourty  Pound  old  tenour  for  to  hire 
Preaching  with,  voted  to  have  our  aniual  meating  on  the 
second  tusday  in  march  aniualy. 


THE  PARISH  63 

Samuel  Hudgens  and  Isreal  Omsted,  chosen  servairs  of 
hiways. 

Jacob  Cummings,  moderator. 

Thus  Ware  is  made  a  "Precinct  "  in  technical  language, 
though  for  many  years  deeds  and  other  public  documents 
refer  to  the  place  as  "Ware  River  Parish,"  an  equivalent 
term. 

The  immediate  task  before  the  inhabitants  was  the  pro- 
curing of  a  minister,  and  the  providing  of  a  meeting-house. 
In  1743  it  was  "voted  to  hire  Mr.  Dickson  for  to  Preach 
among  us,  until  ye  fourty  pound  we  granted  is  spent."  In 
the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  question  of  a  meeting-house 
was  brought  before  the  inhabitants  at  a  legal  meeting,  but 
it  was  voted  not  to  build  at  present.  There  were  many 
questions  to  be  settled  as  to  ways  and  means,  and  the  great 
question  of  location.  The  latter  was  indeed  a  burning  ques- 
tion for  a  long  period  of  time. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  records  of  the  first  years  of  the 
parish  are  fragmentary.  Whether  Mr.  Dickson  preached 
out  the  forty  pounds  or  not,  Mr.  Mills  was  hired  in  the  spring 
of  1743,  possibly  for  a  single  Sunday  at  that  time,  though 
evidently  he  was  preaching  again  in  the  early  summer  of 
1744,  at  which  time  we  find  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mills  "Re- 
fuses to  tarry  any  Lounger  with  us."  In  the  same  year  it 
was  voted  to  hire  Mr.  Roson,  Mr.  How,  and  in  1745  Mr. 
Henry  Gary.  From  the  frequent  bills  allowed  for  boarding 
ministers  it  would  appear  that  while  there  was  no  settled 
pastor,  there  was  a  fairly  regular  "supply"  provided.  In 
1745  a  committee  was  appointed  consisting  of  Capt.  Jabez 
Omstead  and  Mr.  William  Blackmer  "to  discorse  with  Mr. 
Read  Esq.  to  see  what  incoredgement  he  will  give  towards  the 
settlement  of  the  gospel  in  this  place,  and  give  his  advise 
whare  the  meeting  house  shall  be." 

Captain  Omstead  went  to  Boston  at  the  expense  of  the 
Parish,  and  Mr.  Read  recommended  a  location.  Nor  was  he 
backward  in  the  matter  of  "incoredgement,"  for  he  deeds 
to  Jabez  Omstead,  Gen.,  and  Isaac  Magoon,  Yeoman,  who 
lived  near  the  Manour,  and  to  William  Blackmer,  John  Davis 
and  Benjamin  Lull  who  lived  upon  the  Manour,  as  trustees. 


64  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

the  most  eligible  portion  of  the  tract  for  church  support,  as 
follows : 

The  6^^  lot  from  the  North  of  the  4*''  Five  of  lots  from 
the  East  ....  extending  South  on  a  four  rod  Highway  a 
hundred  rod  wide,  &  from  thence  west  by  south  half  a  mile 
long,  also  part  of  the  fifth  lot  near  against  the  middle  of 
that  extending  west  &  by  south  on  the  main  road  twenty 
rod  wide,  &  from  thence  north  twenty  four  rod  long  with  the 
appurtenances;  To  have  &  to  hold  the  sixth  lot  &  part  of 
the  fifth  lot  afores^  with  the  appurtenances  to  them  the 
s"^  Jabesh  Omstead,  Isaac  Mcgoon  William  Blackmer  John 
Davis  &  Benjamin  Lull  &  their  heirs  forever  in  special  trust 
&  Confidince  for  the  only  uses,  Intents  &  purposes  hereafter 
expresst,  viz  for  the  use  of  the  first  minister  of  God's  Holy 
word  &  sacraments,  who  shall  be  freely  chosen  by  the  In- 
habitants freeholders  of  the  s*^  Manour  &  such  others  as  the 
laws  of  the  Government  shall  joyn  in  one  parish  with  them, 
or  by  the  major  part  of  them,  &  thereupon  be  lawfully  In- 
stituted &  ordained  to  the  holy  office  there  &  such  his  suc- 
cessors forever  in  pure  &  perpetual  alms,  &  for  these  special 
purposes  viz  the  three  acres  part  of  the  fifth  lot  afore  s<^  for 
the  founding  &  continuance  of  a  Parish  Church  &  Christian 
Burying  place  forever,  &  the  sixth  lot  for  a  Glebe  thereunto 
annexed  for  the  Improvement  of  such  Minister  &  his  suc- 
cessors at  their  Discretion  toward  their  Maintenance  & 
support  forever.  In  witness  &c. 
19*^  of  Sept.  1748 

Jn°  Read  &  seal. 


It  is  probable  that  he  also  promised  a  "settlement  "  for 
the  first  regular  minister,  which  promise  was  redeemed  by 
his  heirs  after  his  death. 

DiflSculties  beset  the  oflScers  of  the  newly  formed  Pre- 
cinct when  they  endeavored  to  collect  the  rates  voted  for 
public  use,  and  after  some  years  of  wrangling  the  whole 
matter  was  taken  again  before  the  General  Court: 

Timothy  Brown  of  Ware  River,  for  himself  and  as  At- 
torney to  several  others  of  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Ware 
River  so  called  in  the  County  of  Hampshire 

Humbly  Sheweth 


THE  PARISH  65 

That  on  the  4*'^  of  Dee.'  1742  in  answer  to  the  petition  of 
Thomas  Marsh  and  about  thirty  others  Petitioners  with 
Him  it  was  ordered  by  the  Hon''''^  Court  that  the  Petitioners 
in  said  Petition  mention^  &  all  the  Lands  therein  described 
that  are  northerly  of  the  South  East  Corner  of  the  Lands 
belonging  to  John  Reed,  Esq.  then  of  Boston,  now  Dec"^ 
should  be  erected  into  a  Precinct  &  that  the  said  Inhabitants 
should  have  the  Power  &  Priviledges  that  other  Precincts 
do  or  by  Law  ought  to  enjoy.  That  nevertheless  many  per- 
sons who  since  the  Date  of  said  order  have  settled  upon  the 
Ten  Thousand  acre  Equivalent  so  called  belonging  to  the 
Heirs  of  s'*  Mr.  Read  &  as  ye  Petitioner  supposes  clearly 
included  within  the  Limits  of  said  Precinct  have  disputed 
their  obligation  to  subject  themselves  to  the  votes  or  orders 
of  said  Precinct  &  pretend  that  they  are  not  included  therein, 
they  construing  the  aforesaid  order  as  not  including  any 
Part  of  said  Farm  of  Mr.  Read  within  the  said  Precinct 
from  which  great  confusion  has  arisen  among  the  said  People 
&  those  Inhabitants  at  Ware  River  &  such  as  on  Mr.  Read's 
Farm  aforesaid  are  disposed  to  comply  with  the  order  of  this 
Hon'^'^  Court  &  to  provide  themselves  with  the  advantages 
of  the  Gospel  Ministry  are  greatly  hindered  and  obstructed 
by  those  Persons  above  mentioned,  by  Means  of  which 
Difficulties  and  Disputes  the  said  Precinct  were  necessitated 
to  omit  choosing  any  Parish  Committee  in  March  Last  & 
have  not  had  nor  can  have  any  Precinct  Meetings  in  Con- 
sequence whereof  they  have  been  destitute  of  Preaching 
among  them  since  Last  March  till  the  Last  Sabbath,  when 
some  of  the  Inhabitants  procur'^  a  preacher  by  private 
subscription. 

The  Petition'  therefore  begs  ye  Hon'^  Consideration  of 
the  great  Difficulties  they  are  under  respecting  their  Spiritual 
Priviledges  &  that  if  y  Hon"  see  Fit  that  y  Hon'^«  would 
make  a  more  Express  &  indisputable  Determination  of  the 
Extent  &  Limits  of  the  said  Precinct  &  that  the  said  Farm 
of  Mr.  Read  may  be  all  included  in  said  Precinct  &  that  they 
may  be  inabled  speedily  to  call  a  Meeting  of  said  Inhabitants 
in  order  for  the  Raising  of  Money  to  build  a  Meeting  House 
&  to  support  the  public  worship  among  them  for  the  future 
or  otherwise  to  grant  them  Relief  under  their  Difficulties  as 
to  y  Hon"  in  your  great  wisdom  shall  seem  meet  &  y^  pet" 
as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray. 

Timothy  Brown. 
In  the  House  of  Rep^^  June  19,  1750. 


C6  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Read  and  ordered  that  the  Bounds  be  established  as 
follows.  Beginning  at  the  South  East  Corner  of  Mr.  Read's 
10,000  Acres  of  Equivalent  Lands  so-called,  from  thence  to 
run  due  East  to  Western  Line,  then  Easterly  to  Brookfield 
line,  thence  on  Brookfield  line  to  Ware  River,  from  thence 
on  Ware  River  to  Hardwick  line,  from  thence  on  Hardwick 
line  to  the  said  Equivalent  Land  to  the  first  mentioned 
Boundary  including  the  whole  of  the  said  ten  thousand 
Acres. 

And  whereas  the  said  Parish  have  failed  of  choosing  their 
Officers  for  the  present  year,  Ordered  that  the  Committee 
for  the  last  year  be  &  they  hereby  are  impowered  to  Issue 
their  Warrant  to  convene  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Parish 
qualified  by  Law  to  vote  &c.  to  choose  Officers  for  the  pres- 
ent year  &  to  raise  Sum  or  Sums  of  Money  as  shall  be  thought 
necessary  to  defray  the  Charges  of  said  Parish. 

In  Council:  Read  &  Concur'd  —  Consented  to  by  the 
Lieu*  Govern'. 

It  was  not  until  1750  that  the  site  for  the  meeting-house 
was  finally  determined  upon.  Meeting  after  meeting  was 
held,  several  in  each  year,  and  each  meeting  rescinded  the 
vote  of  the  previous  one.  Nathaniel  Dwight,  the  surveyor, 
was  employed  to  find  the  centre  of  the  town.  Committees 
were  appointed  to  settle  the  vexed  question.  On  August  9, 
1750,  four  men  were  chosen,  one  from  each  of  the  four 
corners  of  the  town;  Daniel  Allin  from  the  north-west 
corner,  Jeremiah  Anderson  from  the  north-east,  Jacob  Cum- 
mings  from  the  south-east,  and  Joseph  Scott  from  the  south- 
west. It  was  specified  that  the  agreement  of  three  of  these 
men  should  stand.  Should  there  be  no  such  agreement  the 
committee  should  choose  a  "  judisius  "  man  in  any  of  the 
neighboring  towns  to  "decide  the  difference."  This  Com- 
mittee rejiortcd  that  they  had  called  in  Mr.  Jonathan  Warner 
of  Hardwick  to  decide  the  case,  and  expressed  the  opinion 
that  the  house  should  stand  on  the  east  side  of  Flat  Brook, 
on  a  small  knoll.  This  was  promptly  negatived  at  the  ad- 
journed meeting  August  23,  while  a  vote  was  passed  "to 
.set  it  on  the  County  Road  in  the  Center  East  and  West." 
"That  it  shall  stand  on  the  most  convenient  place  be- 
tween Mr.  Lulls'  and  Joseph  Ayerses,  Nere  half  way  from 
each." 


THE  PARISH  67 

This  raised  a  storm,  and  two  days  later  a  demand  for  a 
warrant  was  signed  by  ten  influential  citizens,  the  object 
being  to  reconsider  the  vote  just  passed.  The  warrant  was 
issued  and  the  meeting  called  at  once.  The  vote  of  August 
23  was  reconsidered,  and  a  new  site  chosen  "on  the  west- 
wardly  side  of  Flat  Brook  .  .  .  between  Edward  Ayer's 
and  Samuel  Smith's."  And  there  it  was  built,  thirty  feet 
long  and  twenty-five  wide,  with  fifteen-foot  posts,  to  cost 
the  sura  of  £30,,  13„  4,  all  but  £4  to  be  paid  in  labor,  the 
latter  sum  being  appropriated  for  nails.  This  for  founda- 
tions and  framing.  In  three  months  £35  additional  was 
voted  "to  cover  and  finish  the  meeting  house  at  the  discre- 
tion of  the  com'ttee." 

Meanwhile,  although  the  burning  question  was  the  loca- 
tion of  the  meeting-house,  there  was  the  secondary  one  of 
the  choice  of  a  minister  to  occupy  the  pulpit.  A  Mr.  Morton 
was  hired  for  the  winter  of  1748,  and  by  1749  or  50  the 
Rev.  Grindall  Rawson  was  on  the  ground,  for  at  least  oc- 
casional services.  At  the  meeting  on  November  26  it 
was  "voted  universaley  to  give  a  minister  a  call  to  settle," 
and  on  December  17  the  Precinct  or  Parish  chose  Mr. 
Rawson  at  a  salary  of  £45  lawful  money  in  case  he 
would  accept  the  call.  In  addition  to  the  annual  salary 
there  was  "granted  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  lawful 
money  for  settlement,  in  case  he  shall  settle  with  us,  to  be 
paid  in  materials  for  building,  and  in  labor  at  money  price." 
This  was  to  provide  him  a  house,  for  the  location  of  which 
the  Read  heirs  provided  as  follows:  ^ 

To  all  People  to  whom  these  Presents  shall  come  Greet- 
ing, Know  ye  that  we  John  Read  &  Ruth  Hunn  of  the  Town 
&  County  of  Fairfield  &  Collony  of  Connecticutt,  William 
Read  of  Boston  in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Gent : 
Joseph  Miller  of  Milton  in  s'*  Province  Gent,  and  Abigail 
his  wife,  Charles  Morris  of  Hopkinton  in  s<^  Province  Esq"" 
and  Mary  his  wife,  &  Henry  Paget  of  Providence  in  the 
Collony  of  Rhoad  Island  Gent,  and  Deborah  his  wife 
(which  John  William  Ruth  Abigail  Mary  &  Deborah  are 
Children  &  co-heirs  of  John  Read  late  of  Boston  afores** 
Esq"^  Dec<^,)     For  and  in  consideration  of  the  Rev^  Mr. 

1  Hamp.  Co.  Rec,  Vol.  2,  p.  107. 


GS  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Grindall  Rawsons  Settling  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Min- 
istry on  the  Manoiir  of  Peace  in  the  County  of  Hampshire  in 
the  Province  afores*^:  &  toward  his  Settlement  there.  Do 
Give  Grant  Convey  &  Confirm  unto  him  the  s*^  Grindall 
Rawson  of  s'^  Manour  Clerk  and  to  his  Heirs  and  assigns 
forever,  fifty  acres  of  Land  lying  &  being  in  s^  Manour  and 
is  one  half  of  the  fourth  lot  of  land  from  the  South  of  the 
Second  Teer  of  lots  from  the  East,  said  lot  being  bounded 
Easterly  by  a  four  rod  Highway  one  hundred  rods  in  Weadth, 
and  from  s^  Highway  Extending  west  &  by  South  half  a 
Mile  long  the  said  fifty  acres  being  the  Southermost  half 
of  s<^  Hundred  acres  fifty  rods  wide  &  half  a  mile  long.  To 
Have  &  To  Hold  the  above  Given  &  Granted  premisses 
with  all  the  priviledges  &  appurtenances  thereof  to  him 
the  s'l  Grindall  Rawson  and  to  his  Heirs  &  assigns  forever, 
to  his  &  their  own  proper  use  &  Behoof :  In  Witness  whereof 
we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  &  Seals  this  16*^  Day  of 
Septem'  A.  D.  1751. 

Signed  by  the  heirs  as  above. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  held  on  Dec.  24  the  annual 
salary  was  raised  to  the  odd  sum  of  £53„6„8,  and  fire- 
wood; to  be  again  reconsidered  within  a  month  and  fixed 
at  £45  for  the  first  two  years,  with  a  small  annual  addition 
until  the  salary  should  reach  £60.  The  meeting  adjourned 
to  Feb.  11,  1751,  when  Mr.  Rawson's  answer  in  the  affirma- 
tive was  communicated  to  the  parish  as  follows: 

My  Brethren: 

Since  you  were  so  unanimous  in  your  invitation  of  me  to 
Settle  with  you  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry  (there 
being  not  so  much  as  one  negative  vote),  upon  Seriously 
addressing  myself  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  as  I  trust,  for 
Direction  in  the  great  affair,  after  proper  reflection,  upon  the 
difficulties  you  would  like  to  be  thrown  into  upon  my  leaving 
you;  notwithstanding  the  great  discouragement  in  regard 
to  my  outward  subsistence  at  present,  and  the  many  Satis- 
factions of  Life,  of  which  I  foresee  I  must  deny  myself, 
more  I  believe  than  you  are  sensible  of,  or  in  any  ways  nec- 
essary for  me  to  recite,  which  have  set  very  heavy  upon 
my  Mind,  and  have  for  a  long  time  prey'd  upon  my  Spirits, 
and  had  I  have  hearkened  to  the  Struggles  of  Animal  nature. 


THE  PARISH  69 

would  Soon  have  determined  me  to  have  me  to  have  left 
you,  tho'  in  the  greatest  Confusion;  yet,  a  Sense  of  Duty, 
and  a  desire  of  promoting  your  everlasting  Peace  and  wel- 
fare, have  counterpoised  all  other  difficulties;  so  that  I  have 
concluded  to  comply  with  your  request,  and  accept  of  your 
invitation;  hoping  that  God  in  his  Providence  will  so  order  it, 
that  we  shall  be  mutual  Blessings  to  one  another.  And  as 
it  is  not  yours,  but  you  that  I  shall  seek,  I  hope  you  will  be 
ready  to  contribute  to  me,  at  all  times  of  your  Temporals, 
as  I  shall  be  ready  to  do  to  you  in  Spirituals,  to  the  utmost 
of  my  power,  and  have  no  greater  Joy,  I  hope,  than  in  pro- 
moting your  good,  and  seeing  you  walk  in  the  truth,  and 
that  I  shall  so  walk  before  you  in  a  Sober  and  Godly  Life, 
that  you  may  have  me  for  an  example,  and,  that,  both  in 
my  Living  and  Preaching,  I  may  set  forward  the  Religion 
of  Jesus. 

Brethren  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  be  made  a  precious 
Gift  of  our  ascended  Saviour  to  you.  I  hope  you  will  never 
do  anything  to  weaken  my  hands  or  discourage  my  heart, 
(which  I  will  assure  you  is  almost  dismayed  already  under 
the  gloomy  prospect,)  nor  expect  perfection  from  me,  for  I 
am  a  man  of  like  Passions,  and  subject  to  humane  infirm- 
ities, which  I  hope  you  will  ever  be  ready  to  cover,  with  a 
mantle  of  love, 

And  that  you  may  behave  yourselves,  as  becomes  knowing, 
wise,  and  Discreet  Christians,  nothing  wavering  nor  un- 
steady, shall  ever  be  my  prayer  for  you. 

Grindall  Rawson. 
Peace.  Feb.  11,  1750. 


The  ordination  of  Mr.  Rawson  was  fixed  for  the  following 
May,  and  the  following  invitation  was  sent  to  the  neighbor- 
ing churches: 

The  Brethren  in  Ware  River  to  the  Church  in  Hadlyme, 
Greeting:  ^ 

Whereas  God  of  his  great  goodness  has  enclined  our  hearts 
to  have  the  Gospel  and  the  Ordinances  of  it  Settled  amongst 
us,  (who  have  lived  for  some  years,  many  of  us,  without  the 
Stated  Ministrations  of  them)  and  we  have  at  length  by  the 

*  Oddly  enough  another  Grindall  Rawson  was  pastor  of  the  Hadlyme  Church 
from  1745  to  1777.    He  was  probably  an  uncle  of  the  Ware  pastor. 


70  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

advice  of  the  neighboring  Ministers,  (as  the  law  directs) 
proceeded  with  a  great  deal  of  unanimity  to  give  Mr. 
Grindall  Rawson,  a  call  to  settle  with  us  in  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  Ministry,  and  he  having  accepting  our  invitation, 
we  liave  appointed  Wednesday,  the  eighth  Day  of  May,  for 
his  Ordination,  and  therefore  desire  the  assistance  of  your 
Rev'd  Pastor,  with  your  Deligate  to  Set  in  Council,  to- 
gether with  Other  Ch'hs  to  Separate  him  to  the  work  to 
wliich  we  have  called  him.  Wishing  peace  to  you,  we  ask 
your  Prayers  for  us,  your  Brethren  in  the  faith  and  Fellow- 
ship of  the  Gospel. 

Voted  the  Rev'd  Mr,  John  Chamble,  pastor  of  the  Church 
in  Oxford. 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  Grindal  Rawson,  paster  of  ye  Church  in 
had-Lyme. 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  Robert  Brick,  paster  of  the  1st  Church  in 
Springfield, 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  Chaleb  Rice,  paster  [of  the  Church  in 
Sher-Bridge. 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  David  White,  paster  of  the  Church  in 
Hard  wick. 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  Noah  Mirick,  paster  of  the  4th  Church  in 
Springfield. 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  Thomas  Scinner,  paster  of  the  Church  in 
Westchester,  in  Colchester, 

the  Rev'd  Mr,  Benjamin  Bowrs,  paster  of  the  Church  in 
Middle  Haddam, 

tlie  Rev'd  Mr,  Isack  Jones,  paster  of  the  Church  in 
Westurn, 

the  Rev'd  Mr.  Palatiah  Webster,  paster  of  the  Church  in 
Quabbin. 

Each  with  his  delligate  to  be  the  ordination  Council. 

Jacob  Cummings,  Moderator. 

The  expenses  of  the  Council,  amounting  to  nearly  £7, 
were  borne  by  the  parish.  The  sermon  preached  on  the 
occasion  was  an  able  one: 

The  faitliful  Minister's  Trials,  Qualifications,  Work,  and  Reward 
described:  Or,  A  distinguishing  Reward  in  Heaven,  One  Grand  Motive 
Christ  propounds  to  his  Ministers,  to  animate  them  to  constant  Fidelity 
in  their  Work,  amidst  all  Trials  and  Difficulties. 


THE  PARISH  71 

A  SERMON 

Preach'd  at  the  Ma'nor  of  Peace, 

in  the  County  of  Hampshire, 

On  Ma?/ "the  9th,  1751. 

At  the 

ORDINATION 

Of  the  Reverend 

Mr.   GRINDALL  RAWSON. 

By  Thomas  Skinner,  A.M. 

Pastor  of  the  Second  Church  in  Colchester. 

Published  at  the  Desire,  and  Expence  of  the  Heirs  of  the  late  Honourable 

John  Read  Esq;   and  Others. 

N.B.     That  several  Passages  Omitted  in  the  Delivery,  are  now  Inserted. 

[12  lines  from  the  Scriptures.] 

N.  London,  Printed  and  Sold  by  T.  Green,  MDCCLI. 

The  preacher  introduces  himself  thus: 

'Tis  not  any  Fondness  for  appearing  on  this  Solemn  and 
Publick  Occasion  that  has  now  brought  me  into  the  Sacred 
Desk;  but  the  repeated  Requests  and  Importunity  of  the 
Pastor  Elect,  who  will  therefore  (I  presume)  suffer  me 
(who  have  had  some  Experience  of  the  Trials  Ministers  are 
Incident  unto)  to  mind  Him  of  some  of  the  Difficulties,  He 
must  Expect  to  meet  with  in  the  Work,  which  (God  willing) 
He  is  now  Solemnly  to  be  introduced  into,  and  from  what 
Quarters  these  will  arise. 

He  then  speaks  of  the  difficulties  in  the  field  of  ministe- 
rial work,  and  admonishes  the  people  in  the  plainest  terms. 
He  pays  a  tribute  to  the  Read  family. 

Had  you  been  their  natural  Parents,  and  they  the  Chil- 
dren of  your  own  Bowels,  Methinks,  you  could  not  have 
Contributed  much  more  Bountifully  to  their  Assistance;  in 
the  great  Work  before  them,  of  Settling  a  Minister,  and 
Erecting  an  House  for  the  Worship  of  God;  which  must 
have  been  very  heavy  in  their  low  and  infant  State,  on 
them.  If  not  Insupportable,  without  your  Help  —  And  we 
hope  you  will  still  shew  Kindness  to  this  People,  and  to  him 
who  is  now  to  be  Introduced  into  the  Pastoral  Office  among 
them. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  more  interesting  and  original 
character  than  Grindall  Rawson  was  ever  associated  with 
Ware.    He  was  a  man  of  strange  eccentricities  and  contra- 


72  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

dictions;  one  who  under  favorable  circumstances  might 
have  been  a  genius,  but  whose  temperament  foredoomed 
him  to  failure  in  the  ministry. 

The  Rev.  Augustus  B.  Reed,  in  his  historical  sermon 
preached  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  1830,  in  the  parish  church, 
characterizes  Mr.  Rawson  and  his  work  as  follows: 

Rev.  Mr,  Rawson,  the  first  pastor  of  this  church,  it  is 
supposed,  was  a  native  of  Hadlyme,  Conn.^  But  little  is 
known  of  him  in  this  place.  Traditional  accounts  represent 
liim  as  a  man  of  little  seriousness,  comeliness  or  refinement. 
The  only  relic  of  his  labors  I  have  seen  is  his  answer  to  the 
call  of  the  precinct.  This,  on  the  whole,  manifests  a  very 
undue  concern  about  worldly  things,  and  yet  some  expres- 
sions in  it  seem  to  intimate  that  his  sentiments  were  evan- 
gelical. 

An  impartial  study  of  the  man  perhaps  will  not  lead 
us  to  materially  modify  Mr.  Reed's  estimate,  though  it 
should  enable  us  to  recognize  in  Mr.  Rawson  a  sincerity,  a 
ready  wit,  and  an  inexorable  will  which  in  a  more  tactful  per- 
son would  have  contributed  to  success.  Grindall  Rawson's 
letter  of  acceptance  does  indeed  manifest  some  concern 
for  worldly  things,  but  hardly  an  undue  concern,  parti- 
cularly in  the  light  of  after  events.  But  in  construing  this 
letter,  one  must  consider  the  times  and  the  customs.  The 
letter  of  acceptance  of  the  Rev.  Reuben  Moss  in  1792, 
urging  that  his  salary  be  paid  punctually,  calls  for  no  criti- 
cism, though  expressed  in  terms  no  less  explicit  than  those 
used  by  Mr.  Rawson.  The  letter  accepting  the  call  to  Ware 
is  that  of  a  man  who  shrinks  from  the  hardships  of  isolation 
and  poverty  toward  which  his  conscience  is  compelling  him, 
—  a  poverty  of  home,  surroundings,  and  society  to  which 
he  was  wholly  unaccustomed.  He  was  a  man  of  gentle  birth, 
a  descendant  of  the  noted  Colonial  Secretary,  Edward  Raw- 
son.  His  education  at  Harvard,  from  which  college  he  grad- 
uated in  1741,  and  later  his  marriage  to  Desire,  daughter  of 
Col,  Joseph  Thatcher,  by  which  he  became  allied  to  one  of 
the  most  aristocratic  families  of  the  time,  sufficiently  vouch 
for  his  refinement  and  culture.    In  person  he  was  awkward 

'  As  a  matter  of  fact  Mr.  RawsoD  was  born  at  Dorchester,  Mass. 


THE  PARISH  73 

and  ungainly,^  a  peculiarity  of  which  he  was  highly  sensi- 
tive. It  is  related  that  while  at  Yarmouth  he  was  told  that 
some  of  his  parishioners  were  in  the  habit  of  making  him  the 
subject  of  mirth,  whereupon  he  preached  the  next  Sabbath 
from  Psalm  C9,  12:  "And  I  was  the  song  of  the  drunkards." 
Many  of  his  hearers,  it  is  reported,  left  the  house,  whereupon 
he  followed  this  sermon  with  one  from  St.  John,  8,  9:  "And 
they  which  heard  it,  being  convicted  by  their  own  conscience, 
went  out  one  by  one."  On  this  occasion  no  one  ventured  to 
retire. 

The  fact  is  he  was  accepting  a  call  to  an  almost  impossible 
field,  as  he  well  knew.  It  is  not  easy  to  picture  the  people 
or  the  difficulties  to  those  who  have  not  gone  deeply  into  the 
times.  Even  an  impartial  judge  hesitates  to  try  to  repre- 
sent things  as  they  were. 

The  settlers  were  of  two  different  and  distinct  classes,  — 
the  English  and  the  Scotch-Irish.  Many  had  left  their 
homes  through  the  spirit  of  dissatisfaction,  —  men  of  little 
fortune  and  of  little  education.  Many  could  not  write  their 
names.  Very  few  could  make  more  than  a  childish  scrawl. 
Yet  all,  particularly  those  of  Scotch  descent,  held  strong  and 
even  violent  opinions  in  regard  to  religious  matters.  They 
possessed  strong  individuality,  were  of  ardent  temperament, 
and  strong  in  their  prejudices.^ 

The  two  classes  never  got  on  harmoniously  in  any  com- 
munity. Not  until  the  second  generation  on  the  soil  were 
the  best  characteristics  brought  out,  and  the  difficult  ones 
eliminated.  Mr.  Rawson,  an  American  born,  and  a  Con- 
gregationalist,  could  not  hope  to  understand  the  Scotch 
Presbyterianism  of  Ulster  County  and  at  the  same  time 
satisfy  those  of  English  blood.  Then,  too,  the  people  were 
very  poor.  Their  poverty  became  proverbial,  and  is  con- 
tinually referred  to  in  old  documents. 

*  Benjamin  Cummings's  recollections  describe  him  as  very  tall  and  homely. 

^  The  history  of  the  relations  between  Rev.  John  Harvey  and  his  people  at 
Palmer  where  he  was  minister  for  many  years  previous  to  1748  is  strangely  inter- 
esting. For  years  his  Scotch-Irish  compatriots  stood  by  him  as  against  the  English, 
the  latter  being  scandalized  at  his  intemperate  habits.  He  was  actually  convicted 
of  drunkenness  in  the  Court  of  Sessions  at  Northampton.  In  1746,  when  a  scandal 
was  whispered  touching  his  conduct  of  so  unsupported  a  nature  that  the  Presbytery 
refused  to  take  cognizance  of  it,  his  former  friends  took  the  sword  against  him. 
Temple,  "  History  of  Palmer." 


74  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

At  the  relations  between  pastor  and  people  during  the 
first  year  of  Mr.  Rawson's  settlement  we  can  only  guess. 
They  could  hardly  have  been  harmonious.  That  something 
was  in  the  air  is  readily  inferred  from  the  Town  Records. 
The  annual  meeting  called  for  March  2, 1752,  was  adjourned 
without  recorded  action  until  Tuesday  of  the  following 
week,  at  which  time  routine  business  was  transacted,  but 
nothing  done  in  regard  to  the  minister's  salary,  past  or 
future.  I  suspect  that  drastic  legislation  not  specified  in 
the  warrant  was  prevented  by  the  moderator,  who  was  in 
favor  of  right  dealing  toward  Mr.  Rawson.  Within  a  month 
seven  "freeholders  and  inhabitants"  applied  to  Joseph 
Hawley,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  Hampshire  County,  for 
a  warrant  for  a  meeting  to  be  held  on  May  12;  a  special 
meeting,  not  called  by  the  regular  officers  of  the  town.  The 
whole  situation  indicates  that  the  community  was  in  a  turmoil. 
Joseph  Wright,  the  precinct  moderator,  Jacob  Cummings, 
clerk  and  first  committee  man,  Benjamin  Lull,  second 
committee  man,  John  Davis,  assessor  and  tithing  man, 
Jabez  Omstead,  Richard  Rogers  and  Joseph  Scott,  all  enter 
their  dissent  against  the  proceeedings.  But  nothing  could 
stay  the  enraged  and  excited  townsmen.  Illegal  and  absurd 
as  their  action  evidently  was,  after  the  minister  had  been 
installed  for  a  year,  they  revoked  all  acts  of  the  town  re- 
lating to  the  call  and  settlement  of  Grindall  Rawson,  — 
even  to  the  fire-wood  he  might  have  burned  the  preceding 
winter! 

What  a  situation!  Neither  settlement  nor  salary  paid, 
though  both  were  long  overdue.  No  prospect  of  collecting 
either.  One  way  out  of  the  difficulty  presented  itself.  In 
the  records  of  the  Court  of  Sessions  at  Northampton  we 
find  the  following: 

Thepetition  of  Grindal  Rawson  of  Ware  River  in  County 
of  Hampshire  setting  forth  that  he  is  unable  to  support 
himself  and  praying  maintenance  being  read  in  Court  It  is 
ordered  that  the  parish  of  Ware  River  be  notified  to  appear 
&  answer  at  the  next  sessions. 


At  next  sessions: 


THE  PARISH  75 

Grindal  Rawson  of  Ware  River  in  y°  County  of  Hamp- 
shire Clerk  Compts  vs.  Ware  River  parish  for  not  paying 
him  his  contract  as  per  the  Complaint  on  file  is  fully  set 
forth.  Ordered  that  Messieurs  Aaron  Lyman;  Abner  Smith 
and  Thomas  Chapin  be  assessors  to  assess  the  Inhabitants 
of  Ware  River  Parish  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds 
lawful  money  being  the  sum  due  for  his  settlements  and 
forty-five  pounds  being  arrears  due  to  s*^  Rawson  y°  9*^  of 
May  last  who  are  to  proceed  according  to  law  in  assessing 
the  same  and  to  pay  cost  of  assessment  to  two  justices  of 
the  Quorum  to  be  paid  to  Mr.  Edward  Ayers  &c. 

It  is  a  pitiful  situation.  It  is  doubly  so  when  we  realize 
that  the  ultimate  effect  must  be,  when  the  order  of  the  court 
shall  have  been  executed,  to  rouse  the  people  of  the  parish 
even  more  violently  against  their  pastor. 

One  more  document  we  have  that  gives  us  a  glimpse  of 
the  minister.  It  was  written  in  the  autumn  of  1752,  and 
could  have  been  drawn  up  by  no  one  but  Grindall  Rawson. 
The  original  is  penned  in  a  small,  neat,  clerkly  hand,  and 
we  may  be  sure  that  the  sentiments  expressed  are  genuine.* 

To  His  Honour  Spencer  Phips  Esq'  Lieutenant  Governor 
and  Commander  in  chief  in  and  over  his  Majesties  Prov- 
ince of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England.  The 
Hono'rable  his  Majesties  Council;  and  the  Hono'rable 
House  of  Representatives,  in  General  Court  Assembled. 
The  Prayer  of  the  Inhabitance  of  a  Parish  in  the  county 
of  Hampshire  known  by  the  name  of  Ware-River  parish. 

As  the  best  of  Beings  permitts  his  Creatures  to  be  impor- 
tunate at  his  Throne,  for  those  favours  that  they  need;  and 
when  they  frequently  express  their  dependance  upon  him, 
is  disposed  to  grant  them  the  desired  releaf:  From  hence 
would  we  take  encouragement,  humbly  to  beseech  the 
Hono'rable  Assembly  to  take  our  Case,  in  regard  to  the 
province  tax,  once  more  into  Consideration.  And  oh  that 
our  grief  were  thoro'ly  weighed  and  our  Calamity  laid  in 
the  ballances  together!  For  now  it  would  be  heavier  than 
the  Sand  of  the  Sea;  therefore  we  cannot  refrain  our  mouths, 
we  must  cry,  to  our  Civil  Fathers,  in  the  anguish  of  our 
Spirits,  we  must  Complain  in  the  bitterness  of  our  Souls. 
What  is  our  Sin,  and  what  is  our  iniquity,  that  the  Hono'r- 
able Assembly  will  not  be  pleased  to  hear  our  prayer? 

»  Mass.  Archives,  Vol.  13,  pp.  333,  334. 


76  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Despise  not  our  prayer  we  humbly  beseech  you,  for  our 
Eyes  are  dim  by  reason  of  Sorrow,  and  all  our  Members  are 
as'  a  Shadow.  So  great  are  our  difficulties,  that  our  ways 
are  truly  fenced  up  and  darkness  is  set  in  our  paths.  To 
have  pity  upon  us,  to  have  pity  upon  us  we  humbly  beseech 
the  Rulers  of  our  Land.  We  humbly  pray  that  our  Rulers 
in  mercy  to  us  would  remove  the  tax  that  was  laid  upon 
us  last  year,  w''  is  not,  nor  can't  be  gathered  amongst  us, 
and  that  also  which  has  been  laid  upon  us  this  present  year; 
and  we  can't  but  flatter  ourselves  that  our  prayer  will  not 
now  be  rejected;  but  that  all  those  worthy  Gentlemen  who 
go  to  the  Assembly  from  our  County,  and  the  Towns  round 
about  us,  are  Gentlemen  of  So  much  Integrity,  that  they 
will  lay  our  Case  so  plainly  before  our  Civil  Fathers  that 
they  will  see  that  we  need  releaf,  and  that  we  are  so  far 
from  being  able  to  pay  any  tax  to  the  province  that  we  need 
assistance  from  others  to  gitt  thro'  the  Charges  of  settling 
a  Minister,  for  we  now  owe  our  Minister  a  year  and  halfs 
Sallary  and  all  his  Settlement,  and  had  we  got  thro'  these 
diflSculties,  and  if  the  Land  was  our  own,  we  should  not  be 
so  able  to  pay  a  Province  tax,  our  Settlements  are  so  new, 
as  Cold-Spring  and  Quobbin,  who  are  considerably  less  upon 
the  tax  Bill  than  we  are,  and  their  Stocks  are  vastly  larger, 
and  their  Mills  more  profitable.  And  there  is  Some  places 
in  the  County  that  are  under  better  Circumstances  than 
we  are,  two  at  least,  that  pay  no  tax  at  all,  this  some  of  our 
Hono'rable  Rulers  are  Sensible  of.  And  further,  many  of 
us  are  under  as  bad  Circumstances  as  the  Egyptians,  without 
paying  any  Province  tax  at  all:  wherefore  we  Sincerely 
hope  that  our  Civil  Fathers  will  so  far  Compassionate  our 
case  as  to  remove  the  tax,  and  we  the  rather  promise  our- 
selves releaf,  because  we  are  persuaded  that  all  that  belong 
to  the  Court  this  year,  that  know  our  case,  are  Gentlemen 
of  So  much  Compassion  and  have  such  Bowels  of  mercy, 
that  they  will  open  their  mouths  and  plead  our  Case  in 
forma  Pauperis;  and  we  doubt  not  but  the  rest  of  our  Civil 
Fathers  will  be  ready  to  shew  themselves  merciful  as  our 
Father  who  is  in  Heaven  is  merciful;  and  we  your  supplicants 
as  in  duty  bound  Shall  ever  pray  — 
Ware-River  Parish 
Nov.  20.  1752 

Jacob  Cummings"!  ■'^^"^^  Committee 
John  Davis  >      in  the  Name 

Benjamin  Lull       j       of  the  Parish 


THE  PARISH  77 

In  the  House  of  Rep^®^  Dec  8.  1752  Read  and  Ordered 
that  the  Prayer  of  the  Pet'^  be  so  far  granted  as  that  the 
Treasurer  be  and  he  hereby  is  directed  to  delay  sending  out 
his  Execution  ag*  the  Collector  or  Collectors  of  the  within 
mentioned  Inhabitants  until  the  further  Order  of  this 
Court 

Sent  up  for  concurrence 

T  Hubbard  Spk' 
In  Council  December  8.  1752 
Read  and  Concur'd 

Tho«  Clarke  Dp*y  Secry 
Consented  to        S  Phips 

Not  only  was  relief  granted  as  appears  above,  but  the  Ware 
River  Parish  assessment  for  the  following  year  drops  from 
£25  to  £9. 

The  execution  of  the  order  of  the  Court  of  Sessions  against 
the  parish  had  a  wholesome  effect.  A  petition  was  carried 
to  the  General  Court  for  authority  to  depose  the  old  col- 
lectors, who  evidently  refused  to  do  their  duty,  and  to  ap- 
point new  ones.  Men  friendly  to  the  minister  were  ap- 
pointed, and  his  salary  ordered  to  be  assessed.  But  hopes 
of  a  renewed  pastoral  relation  were  not  to  be  entertained, 
and  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  the  following: 

To  the  Commite  of  Ware  River  Parish,  to  be  commueni- 
cated  to  the  Parish,  you  are  senseibal  that  for  sum  time  I 
have  wanted  to  be  realeased  from  my  relations  to  Ware 
River  Parish,  as  a  minester,  and  as  the  mager  part  of  the 
voters  have  dismised  me  from  my  relation  to  them  as  a 
minester,  I  gladly  accept  the  oppertuinity  of  releasing  my- 
self from  you,  especally  as  the  maigor  part  of  my  church 
have  this  day  invited  me  to  a-compney  them  into  a  new 
settelment  of  which  I  have  accepted,  and  their  fore  I  now 
release  you  from  your  relation  to  me  as  a  minester  from 
this  day  forward,  as  witness  my  hand.^  Janeary  the  30  -1754. 

Grindal  Rawson. 

The  depth  of  the  feud  between  the  pastor's  friends  and 
enemies  is  revealed  by  this  letter,  but  fortunately  the  exodus 
was  stayed,  the  coming  of  spring  bringing  saner  counsels. 

1  The  atrocious  spelling  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  Mr.  Rawson,  but  to  the 
parish  clerk. 


78  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  worthy  Mr.  Grindall  Rawson  now  disappears  from 
our  horizon.  In  the  following  year,  1755,  he  was  installed 
over  the  church  at  Yarmouth.  The  installation  sermon  on 
that  occasion  by  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Gay  of  Hingham  is  in 
existence,  and  was  evidently  written  with  the  unhappy 
experience  at  Ware  River  Parish  in  mind.  He  dwells  upon 
the  relation  of  pastor  and  people  as  sacred.  He  appeals  to 
the  congregation  "to  forsake  not  the  Levite,  their  Minister," 
nor  "join  with  those  who  say  to  them,  '  Come  and  let  us  de- 
vise devices  against  him,  and  let  us  smite  him  with  the 
tongue,  and  not  give  heed  to  any  of  his  words.'  "  Address- 
ing Mr.  Rawson,  he  says:  "You  (Dear  Brother),  cannot, 
and  others  (I  hope)  will  not,  misconstrue  the  present  Dis- 
course, as  impeaching  your  Conduct  in  the  Separation  which 
hath  happen'd  betwixt  you  and  the  People,  over  which  you 
was  ordain'd.  The  Reasons  and  Grounds  of  it  were  exam- 
in'd  by  proper  Judges,  who  acquitted  you  of  all  Blame  in 
that  Matter.  And  it  would  be  very  invidious  in  any  to  say 
unto  you,  as  Eliab  did  to  David,  who,  by  his  Father's  Order, 
brought  a  fresh  supply  of  Provision  for  his  Brethren  at  the 
Camp  of  Israel;  Why  camest  thou  down  hither?  and  with 
whom  hast  thou  left  those  few  Sheep  in  the  Wilderness? 
As  your  Dismission  from  the  Care  of  a  little  Flock  was  regu- 
lar, so  your  Call  to  take  the  Over-sight  of  this  is  (we  trust) 
clear."  ' 

A  fairly  exhaustive  study  of  the  conditions,  and  of  all 
the  available  contemporary  evidence,  has  led  to  certain 
conclui^ions. 

It  was  the  period  of  the  great  Religious  Awakening  in 
New  England.  Mr.  Rawson  must  have  been  affected  by  it, 
coming  as  he  did  but  recently  from  Cambridge;  while  the 
movement  would  have  made  but  little  impression  upon  a 
remote  community,  many  of  whose  members  were  recent 
immigrants.  One  feature  of  the  Awakening  was  evidenced 
by  great  strictness  in  religious  discipline. 

It  has  caused  frequent  remark  that  the  Ware  church  had 
no  confession  or  rule  of  faith  until  the  ministry  of  Ezra 
Tliayer,  —  an  unusual  situation  for  the  times.  When  a 
confession  was  finally  adopted  it  was  decidedly  lax,  —  the 

'  Quoted  in  "The  Manour  of  Peace,"  by  A.  B.  Page. 


THE  PARISH  79 

** Half-way  Covenant"  as  it  was  called;  and  that  represented 
a  great  forward  step  for  our  church. 

Now  Grindall  Rawson  had  been  endowed  with  the  right  of 
veto  on  church  legislation  when  he  was  installed.  That 
right  "was  for  several  reasons  re  voted  unanimously  "  before 
the  installation  of  Ezra  Thayer.  The  laxity  of  morals  even 
among  church  members  is  patent  from  the  records.  Thus 
the  situation  becomes  evident.  A  minister  standing  for 
utmost  strictness  killing  with  his  veto  all  lax  and  easy- 
going legislation,  takes  a  stand  far  above  what  his  parish- 
ioners are  willing  or  able  to  subscribe,  pressing  all  disciplinary 
measures  until  the  majority  of  his  people  are  infuriated  to  a 
degree. 

Ware  River  Parish  was  just  the  place  where  an  uncom- 
promising parson  would  soon  find  himself  in  the  situation 
into  which  Mr.  Rawson  was  plunged.  The  apparently 
wanton  destruction  of  Mr.  Rawson's  records  becomes, 
under  this  view,  wholly  explicable. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Gay 
acquits  Grindall  Rawson  of  all  blame,  thereby  inferentially 
laying  the  blame  upon  the  parish. 

From  1755-1760  Grindall  Rawson  ministered  to  the  church 
in  Yarmouth,  but  without  much  success  so  far  as  the  inter- 
ests of  the  parish  were  concerned.  Yet  again,  the  man  must 
have  had  his  good  points,  for  the  Ecclesiastical  Council 
called  for  his  dismissal,  directed  the  parish  to  "recommend 
him  to  the  communion  of  any  church  which  he  shall  desire," 
and  "express  their  wishes  that  he  may  be  prospered  and 
blessed  in  any  work  and  business  which  Providence  may  call 
him  to." 

Mr.  Rawson's  feelings  toward  the  town  in  which  his 
second  ministry  was  passed  may  be  inferred  from  the  follow- 
ing from  Alden's  Memorabilia  of  Yarmouth,  in  Mass.  Hist. 
Coll.  of  1788:  "The  Rev.  Mr.  Stone,  of  Harwich,  a  grave 
gentleman,  attending  a  funeral  at  Yarmouth,  and  being  in 
the  burial  place,  some  years  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Cotton, 
inquired  for  Mr.  Cotton's  grave,  but  there  not  being  any- 
one who  could  show  it,  he  remarked,  'I  think  it  is  with  Mr. 
Cotton's  grave  as  it  was  with  Moses,  that  distinguished 
servant  of  God,  no  man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  to  this  day.' 


80  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Mr.  Rawson  adds,  —  '  This  was  the  only  one  of  the  first 
seven  ministers  whose  dust  was  committed  to  the  earth  in 
Yarmouth.  Whatever  they  suffered,  the  worm  did  not  feed 
on  them  there.'  " 

Tiie  Court  Records  at  Northampton  show  that  Mr.  Raw- 
son  spent  many  years  trying  to  collect  of  Ware  men  various 
sums  of  money  due  him  when  he  left  town.  In  1762,  while 
living  at  Milton,  he  brings  suit  against  Jedidiah  Ayers  of 
Ware,  and  Ephraim  Ayers,  late  of  Ware,  for  £4  ,,  11  ,,  3, 
''which  they  by  their  note  of  the  24th  of  May,  1754  prom- 
ised the  petitioner  to  pay  him."  The  defendants  being 
publicly  called  three  times  made  default  of  appearance,  and 
the  court  orders  that  the  petitioner  recover  with  costs. 

In  the  same  year  he  instituted  a  suit  against  Samuel  Sher- 
man and  Thomas  Andrews,  both  of  Ware,  "to  recover  £200 
which  he  says  they  on  the  eleventh  of  March,  1762,  by  their 
bond,  in  Court  to  be  produced,  bound  themselves  to  pay  on 
demand,  but  have  not  paid."  In  default  of  appearance  of 
the  defendants  the  petitioner  is  awarded  £118„16,,10,,3, 
and  costs  of  court  amounting  to  £3„4„8.  Execution  is- 
sued Oct.  22,  1763. 

Our  first  minister  did  not  again  take  up  parochial  work. 
His  old  age  was  spent  peacefully  with  the  family  of  his  son 
at  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  "in  quietness  and  retirement, 
and  his  transmigration  to  the  eternal  Manour  of  Peace  on 
Nov.  18,  1794,  closed  a  life  exceeding  the  period  allotted  by 
the  Psalmist."  ^ 

'  Grindall  Rawson  sells  to  Thomas  Andrews  for  £80  in  1759  the  lot  he  received 
as  a  gift  from  the  Read  heirs,  the  parish  never  having  redeemed  its  promise  of  a 
house  to  be  built  upon  it.    The  original  deed  is  in  existence. 


riEW  OF  IIMfti- 


^ 


V 

Parish  Life  and  Growth 

The  dismission  of  Mr.  Rawson  took  place  on  Jan.  19, 
1743.  "For  a  time  after  his  dismission,"  says  Rev.  Augus- 
tus B.  Reed,^  "very  little  interest  was  taken  in  the  institu- 
tions of  the  gospel.  The  house  of  God  laid  waste;  the  ways 
of  Zion  mourned;  the  people  were  as  sheep  scattered  upon 
the  mountains,  while  vice  and  irreligion  prevailed  among 
them."  If  we  add  the  words  "and  dissension "  after 
"irreligion  "  we  shall  have  the  whole  situation.  And  in  this, 
though  Mr.  Reed  did  not  suspect  it,  lies  the  explanation  of 
the  unhappy  ministry  of  Mr.  Rawson. 

Unfortunately  the  records  of  the  church,^  as  distinguished 
from  the  parish  under  Grindall  Rawson,  are  no  longer  in  ex- 
istence. It  would  appear  that  they  were  destroyed  inten- 
tionally, —  probably  in  the  interest  of  peace  and  harmony. 
Mr.  Thayer  extracts  from  the  records  the  absolutely  essen- 
tial facts,  and  starts  a  new  book.  The  past  is  dead,  and  he 
buries  it  in  oblivion. 

His  extracts  which  will  serve  as  a  recapitulation  are  as 
follows :  — 

May  9,  1751.  A  Chh  was  gathered  at  Ware  River 
Parish,  &  Grindall  Rawson  ordained  Pastor  of  it  — 

June  19,  1754.  The  Pastoral  Relation  of  the  Rev'd  Mr. 
Grindal  Rawson  to  the  Chh  in  Ware  River  Parish  was 
dissolved  — 

There  follows  a  List  of  all  the  Members  that  belonged  to 
the  Chh  in  Ware  River  Parish  from  ye  first  Foundation  of 
to  June  19  1754  — 

Grindal  Rawson  Jemima  Ayers 

Jos'h  Wright  Mary  Scott 

Edw'd  Ayers  Jane  Wright 

^  Thanksgiving  Day  Sermon  of  1830. 

^  The  parish  had  charge  of  the  temporalities,  the  church  of  the  spiritualities. 
Thus  the  parish  attended  to  all  financial  matters,  while  the  church  dealt  with  doc- 
trine and  discipline.    Parish  and  church  united  in  calling  a  minister. 


82  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Jacob  Cummings  Mary  Allen 

Samuel  Smith  Meriam  Brooks 

John  Davis  Martha  Virgin 

Jos'h  Scott  Deborah  Gilbert 

Daniel  Thurston  Elizabeth  Taylor 

Jos'h  Wright  jun  Mary  Brooks 

Isaac  Magoon  Deborah  Davis 

Wm.  Virgin  Jerusha  Merrett 

Jedidiah  Ayers  Abigail  Pike 

Eben'r  Gilbert  Martha  Davis 

Isaac  Magoon  2nd  Rebecca  Rogers 

Eben'r  Davis  Martha  Omstead 

Rich'd  Fally  Rachel  Cummings 

David  Pike  Anna  Fally 

Rich'd  Rogers  Bridget  Huggins 

Job  Carley  Patience  Carley 

Jacob  Cummings  jun  Catherine  Magoon 

Wait  Burke  Susanna  Burke 

Some   of   these   were   dismissed    &   recommended   from 

other  Chhs.  &  others  were  never  members  before  admitted 

by  us.  — 

The  above  account  was  extracted  from  the  Chh  Records 

left  at  Ware  River  by  the  Rev'd  Grindal  Rawson.     per 

Ezra  Thayer. 

It  is  recorded  that  twenty-seven  children  were  baptized  by 
Mr.  Rawson.^  For  five  years  the  church  was  without  a  settled 
minister,  but  it  does  not  follow  that  there  were  no  ministra- 
tions. Each  year  money  was  raised  for  preaching,  for 
boarding  ministers  and  for  going  after  ministers.  It  could 
hardly  have  been  easy  to  induce  a  man  to  settle,  in  view  of 
the  general  undesirability  of  the  parish,  and  the  heart- 
rending experience  of  the  first  minister,  whom  they  pursued 
even  after  his  departure.^ 

By  allowances  for  board  of  ministers  we  learn  that  among 
the  temporary  preachers  were  Mr.  Mills,  Mr.  Craford 
(Crawford),  Mr.  Wran  (probably  Warren)  and  Mr.  There 
(Thayer).  The  latter  became  the  selected  candidate  for 
permanent  pastor. 

•  Coburn'3  "Historical  Address,"  1851. 

^  Town  Recorcis,  January,  1755:  "It  was  then  voted  and  chouse  Israel  Omstead 
and  William  Brackenridge  a  coramite  to  take  advice  of  the  Lawers,  to  see  if  we  can 
recover  any  part  of  Mr.  Rawson's  setelmeat." 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  83 

In  1758  a  double  meeting  was  held  of  parish  and  of  church, 
at  which  it  was  "Voted  by  the  Chh.  to  give  Mr.  Ezra  Thayer 
a  Call  to  settle  among  us,  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  minis- 
try." And  it  was  "Voted  by  the  other  inhabitants  to  con- 
cur with  the  Chh."  For  settlement  £100  was  proposed,  part 
to  be  paid  in  land,  while  the  salary  was  fixed  at  £40  for  the 
first  three  years,  "and  then  to  add  £5  per  year,  till  the  whole 
amounts  to  £55  annually."  In  addition,  theparish  was  to  cut 
and  draw  thirty  cords  of  wood  each  year;  —  "He  finding  the 
wood  standing."  Toward  the  settlement,  it  was  voted  to 
deed  to  Mr.  Thayer  the  glebe,  or  parsonage  lot,  he  allowing 
for  the  same  £66,,  13,, 4,  of  which  naive  performance, 
more  anon. 

The  patronage  of  the  Read  family  was  not  forgotten,  and 
a  committee  was  directed  to  "treat  with  Mr.  Read  to  obtain 
a  settlement."  As  John  Read  had  died  some  ten  years  before, 
John  Read,  Jr.  of  Fairfield,  Connecticut,  was  evidently  the 
one  meant.  The  Read  heirs  proved  themselves  ready,  as 
heretofore,  with  assistance,  for  under  date  of  1762^  we  find 
a  deed  of  fifty  acres  in  fee  simple  to  Ezra  Thayer,  it 
being 

the  Northermost  half  of  the  fourth  lott  of  land  from 
the  South  of  the  second  tier  of  lotts  from  the  East  in  the 
Manour  of  Peace,  so  called,  s'^  lott  being  bounded  Easterly 
by  a  four  rod  Highway  .  .  .  the  said  fifty  acres  being  the 
Northern  half  of  s<^  hundred  acre  lott  .  .  .  Excepting  and 
Reserving  about  three  acres  and  a  quarter  of  land  part  of 
the  s<*  fifty  acres  where  the  Meeting  House  in  s^  Ware 
now  stands  for  the  Convenience  of  s"*  House  &  Burying 
place.2 

Mr.  Thayer  gracefully  accepted  the  call  in  the  following 
letter : 

Bretheren  and  Gentlemen :  — 

Whereas  you  have  given  me  a  Call  to  settle  with  you  in 
the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry;  These  are  to  signify  to 
you,  that  I  acept  of  your  Invitation,  and  desiring  your 

*  Old  Hampshire  Registry,  Springfield. 

2  In  1765  Ezra  Thayer  sells  this  tract  to  Solomon  Cummings  for  the  goodly  sum 
of  £42. 


84  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Prayers  for  me  and  that  our  entring  into  this  Solemn  Rela- 
tion may  be  for  God's  Glory  &  our  mutual  comfort  and  hapi- 
ness  both  in  the  presant  &  future  Life,  I  subscribe  myself, 
yours  to  Serve  in  the  evangelis  ministry. 

Ezra  Thayer. 
Ware  Dec'r.  19,  1758. 

The  town  appointed  Jan.  10,  1759,  as  the  day  for  Mr. 
Thayer's  ordination.  Rev.  Messrs.  White,  Jones,  Forbush, 
Parsons,  Frost  and  Thurston,^  representing  the  three  Brook- 
field  parishes;  Hard  wick,  Western,  Coldspring,  Med  way 
and  Mendon,  together  with  lay  delegates,  formed  the  Coun- 
cil. Rev.  David  White  acted  as  moderator;  Eli  Forbush  of 
the  Second  Church  in  Brookfield  as  scribe.  The  preacher 
was  Rev.  Isaac  Jones  of  the  first  parish  in  Brookfield. 

The  council  prepared  a  church  covenant,  defined  the 
word  Congregational,  read  a  Confession  of  Faith  which  was 
consented  to  by  the  pastor-elect  and  by  the  church,  received 
INIr.  Thayer's  letter  of  dismission  from  the  Second  Church  of 
Mendon,  examined  him  on  his  ministerial  qualifications, 
and  then  proceeded  to  his  ordination  over  the  church  and 
parish  of  Ware  River. 

That  there  was  laxity  of  sentiment  in  the  parish  as  com- 
pared with  a  majority  of  Massachusetts  churches  is  shown 
by  the  unanimous  adoption,  within  a  month  of  Mr.  Thayer's 
ordination,  of  the  Half-way  Covenant  as  follows: 

1.  That  all  persons  who,  upon  their  own  confession  may 
hereafter  be  admitted  in  covenant  with  the  church  be  looked 
upon  as  members  of  the  same  and  to  have  a  right  to  the 
special  ordinances  of  the  gospel  among  us. 

2.  That  persons  being  under  any  unavoidable  scruples 
in  regard  to  partaking  ci  the  Lord's  supper,  shall  be  no  bar 
against  their  being  admitted  into  covenant  with  this  church: 
provided  they  promise  to  be  in  the  diligent  use  of  all  proper 
means  to  have  those  scruples  removed. 

3.  That  they  who,  while  under  these  scruples  shall  be 
admitted  into  covenant,  be  not  admitted  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  without  first  acquainting  the  pastor,  in  order 
to  his  acquainting  the  church  a  week  at  least  beforehand, 

'  One  other  name  is  illegible. 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  85 

that  their  scruples  being  removed   they  intend   now   to 
partake. 

Under  these  rules  ^  it  was  intended  that  unconverted 
persons  might  so  far  become  members  of  the  church  as  to 
have  their  children  baptized.  Accordingly  we  find  by  the 
records  that  during  Mr.  Thayer's  ministry,  near  twenty 
persons  were  received  agreeably  to  these  rules,  who  invari- 
ably had  their  children  baptized,  but  who,  so  far  as  can  be 
ascertained,  never  came  to  the  communion.  Besides  these, 
79  were  received  into  full  membership  during  the  sixteen 
years  of  Mr.  Thayer's  ministry;  fifty  of  them  within  the 
first  five  years,  and  seventeen  of  these  within  the  first  year 
of  his  ministry,  and  no  more  than  four  at  any  one  time.  The 
decrease  of  numbers  received  towards  the  latter  end  of  his 
ministry  may  have  been  owing  in  part  to  the  political 
agitations  of  the  times,  in  which  the  public  mind  was 
engrossed  as  we  approach  the  year  1775,  in  which  Mr. 
Thayer  deceased. 

Reference  has  been  made  to  Mr.  Thayer's  "settlement." 
At  the  church  and  parish  meeting  it  was  voted  to  give  Mr. 
Thayer  a  warranty  deed  of  the  ministry  lot  that  was  received 
from  John  Read,  Sen.,  and  it  was  "voted  Capt.  Jacob 
Cummings,  Deacon  Joseph  Scott  and  Mr.  Edward  Damon 
be  a  committe  to  exauet  [execute]  in  behalf  of  the  parish 
s^  Deed  to  the  s^  Mr.  Ezra  Thayer,  on  Demand  after  his 
ordination  among  us." 

A  deed  was  given  by  these  three  men  in  the  name  of  the 
Ware  River  Parish  of  the  original  glebe,  which  lay  about  half 
a  mile  west  of  the  meeting-house,  and  bordered  on  the  west 
side  of  the  road  over  Brimstone  Hill.  It  is  the  only  deed 
ever  given  in  the  name  of  Ware  River  Parish,^  and  it  was 
wholly  illegal,  null  and  void.  It  is  amazing  that  no  one  of 
the  parties  interested  knew  that  the  land  could  not  be 
alienated  in  any  such  manner.  Unfortunately  it  was  upon 
this  tract,  rather  than  on  the  tract  east  of  the  meeting- 
house given  him  by  the  Read  heirs,  that  Mr.  Thayer  chose  to 
make  his  home.  A  copy  of  Mr.  Thayer's  receipt  for  the 
value  of  the  land  as  previously  agreed  upon  is  filed  in  the 
Town  Records: 

*  Cobum's  "  Historical  Address,"  1851. 

*  Registry  of  Deeds,  Springfield. 


86  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Ware  River  Aug't  19t^  1759. 

Then  rec'd  of  Capt.  Cummings,  Doctr  Damoon  &  Lieut. 
Scott,  Sixty  Six  pounds,  thirteen  Shillings  and  four  pence 
Lawful  money,  in  part  for  my  Settlement  in  Ware  River. 

Rec'd  pay't 

Ezra  Thayer. 

It  was  apparently  some  years  before  it  was  discovered 
that  the  thrifty  action  of  the  parish  in  seUing  its  glebe  w^as 
illegal.  But  when  the  discovery  was  made,  measures  were 
taken  to  set  the  affair  right.  The  first  thing  to  do  was  to 
consult  their  friends  and  benefactors  —  the  Read  heirs. 
It  could  not  have  been  an  agreeable  task,  nor  could  they 
have  reasonably  expected  relief  from  that  quarter.  Yet 
such  w^as  the  generosity  and  large-heartedness  of  the  Reads 
that  they  promptly  came  to  the  rescue  with  a  gift  of  the 
most  advantageously  situated  lot  that  they  had  left  of  the 
entire  Manour. 

May  25,  1767. 

Deed  of  the  Read  heirs,  viz 

John  Read 

Mary  Morris 

Chas.  Morris 

Deborah  Paget 

Henry  Paget 

W"*  Read 

Abigail  Miller 
For  the  founding  &  endowment  of  a  parish  ch.  in  y"  district 
of  Ware  —  Grant  to  Jacob  Cummings  &  John  Davis,  the 
present  Deacons  of  s'^  Ch.  the  4'''  lott  from  the  South  in  the 
3''*  Tier  of  Lotts  from  y^  East  in  that  part  of  y^  s<^  district 
called  ye  Manour  of  Peace  Bounded  Easterly  by  y«  fourth 
lott  of  y  Second  Tier  of  lotts  one  hundred  rods  wide,  & 
thence  extending  west  &  by  South  half  a  mile  long,  and  also 
parcell  of  ye  said  fourth  lott  from  y^  South  in  y«  Second 
Tier  from  ye  East  whereon  y"^  Meeting  house  now  stands  & 
y«  lands  adjacent  as  reserved  in  &  by  their  Several  Deeds  of 
Conveyance  of  y"  rest  of  y«  said  lott  containing  abt.  3| 
acres.  To  have  &  to  hold  y«  sd  4*'*  lot  in  the  S'^  tier,  & 
parcel  of  s'^  4**^  lot  in  2"'^  tier  ...  in  special  trust  to  them 
y  s"^  Jacob  Cumings  &  John  Davis  Deacons  of  the  s'^  Ch.  & 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  87 

their  successors  in  that  office  for  ever  in  pure  &  perpetual 
alms  for  y«  only  uses  &  purposes  hereafter  expresst.  viz' 
The  said  3\  acres  parcels  of  the  s'^  4*'*  lott  in  ye2°'*  teer 
for  the  founding  &  continuance  of  a  parish  Church  &  Chris- 
tian Burying  place  forever,  and  the  said  4''»  lott  in  the  3'^'^ 
Tier  of  lotts  for  a  Glebe  thereunto  annexed  for  the  use  & 
improvement  of  y°  Rev^  Mr.  Ezra  Thayer  now  minister  of 
ys  s*^  Parish  &  his  Successors  in  that  Sacred  Office  towards 
their  Maintenance  &  support  forever  in  Leiu  of  Lands 
formerly  granted  by  John  Read  Esq'  deceased  for  y"  like 
purposes  &  now  in  the  Possession  of  the  s^  Rev^  Mr.  Thayer. 

(Signatures  as  at  beginning.) 

Armed  with  this  second  gift  of  a  glebe,  the  parish  could 
go  before  the  General  Court  and  ask  that  their  sale  of  the 
first  glebe  be  legalized,  —  as  was  in  justice  due  to  Mr. 
Thayer  who  had  made  his  home  and  "spent  his  whole  sub- 
stance "  in  improvements.  The  minister  himself  was 
directed  to  proceed  to  Boston  to  attend  to  the  business, 
and  the  town  afterwards  reimbursed  him  for  the  expense, 
which  amounted  to  £2„6„3.  The  action  of  the  Court  in 
regard  to  the  matter  appears  in  the  following: 

In  council  June  1^*  1768 
Province  of  the         \  upon  the  petition  of 

Massachusetts  Bay  /  Ezra  Thayer  of  the  District 

of  Ware  Clerk,  and  the  deeds 
accompanying  the  same,  it  appears  that  the  Hon*"'®  John 
Read  Esq'  late  of  Boston  deceased  on  the  19*^  of  Septem' 
1748  for  the  founding  and  endowment  of  a  Parish  in  the 
Ten  Thousand  Acres  of  Equivalent  Did  Give,  grant  convey 
and  confirm  unto  Jabez  Olmstead  and  others  the  Sixth  lott 
and  part  of  the  fifth  lott  lying  in  a  place  then  called  the 
Manour  of  Peace,  To  have  and  to  hold  to  them  and  theirs 
forever  in  special  trust  and  confidence,  for  the  following 
uses  viz*  for  the  use  of  the  first  minister  of  God's  holy  word 
and  Sacramentts  as  shall  be  chosen  there,  and  thereupon  be 
lawfully  instituted  and  ordained  to  that  holy  office  there, 
and  such  his  successors  forever  in  pure  and  perpetuall  alms, 
That  after  the  ordination  of  the  said  Ezra  over  the  Church 
and  congregation  at  said  Manour  of  Peace,  a  committee  of 
said  Parish  conveyed  said  lands  to  the  s'^  Ezra  for  a  valuable 
consideration  in  fee  simple  in  consequence  whereof  he  built 


88  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

upon  said  land,  cleared  and  so  improved  it  as  that  he  hath 
spent  his  whole  substance  thereon.  It  further  appears  that 
the  heirs  of  the  s^  John  sensible  of  the  unhappy  and  ruinous 
circumstances  the  said  Ezra  was  brought  into  as  aforesaid 
from  benevolent  principles  to  the  said  Ezra  and  to  the  Dis- 
trict of  Ware,  and  that  their  honored  Father's  design  as 
aforesaid  might  not  in  the  least  be  frustrated  tho*  the  said 
Ezra  should  have  the  land  aforesaid  confirmed  unto  him. 
Have  by  deed  given  granted  and  conveyed  unto  Jacob 
Cummings  and  John  Davis  the  present  Deacons  of  said 
Church  an  Equivalent,  or  rather  more  than  an  equivalent 
in  Lands  in  said  District  in  pure  and  perpetual  alms  for  the 
same  uses  and  purposes  as  were  mentioned  in  their  Father's 
Deed  as  aforesaid.  Wherefore  it  is  resolved  that  the  Deed 
of  Lands  mentioned  in  said  Petition  given  by  Jacob  Cum- 
mings, Edward  Dammon  and  Joseph  Scott  to  the  said  Ezra 
bearing  date  the  14* '^  of  August  1759  and  recorded  in  the 
Registry  of  Deeds  for  the  county  of  Hampshire  Liber  6 
folio  403  shall  forever  hereafter  be  held  and  taken  to  be 
effectual  and  available  in  Law  against  the  feoffees  named  in 
the  Deed  of  the  said  John  Read  Esq'  in  trust  as  also  against 
all  who  may  claim  from  by  or  under  the  said  feoffees  or 
anj'  of  them  and  against  any  person  who  may  succeed  the 
said  Petitioner  in  the  office  of  a  Gospel  Minister  in  said 
District,  and  the  same  shall  be  as  good  an  estate  to  the  said 
Ezra  and  his  Heirs  in  fee  simple  as  if  the  said  John  had  con- 
veyed said  lands  to  the  said  Jacob  and  others  and  to  their 
heirs  to  their  own  uses. 

Sent  down  for  concurrence 

A.  Oliver     Sec'y 
In  the  house  of  Representatives  June  1^*  1768 
Read  and  Concurred 
T.  Cushing  Speak' 
Consented  to 
Fra  Bernard 

A  true  copy 

Exam*^     John  Cotton     Secret 
Reed    September  28' *»  1768  &  Registered  from  the  original 

copy 

Edw<^  Pyncheon   Reg' 

Though  it  be  anticipating,  it  may  here  be  related  that  dur- 
ing the  long  vacancy  after  Mr.  Thayer's  death  the  parish. 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  89 

with  extremely  poor  foresight,  petitioned  the  General  Court 
for  permission  to  sell  this  new  glebe  "for  the  purpose  of  set- 
tling a  minister."  It  was  represented  that  "the  ministerial 
lot  is  wholly  wild  and  uncultivated,  and  therefore  has  never 
been  of  any  service  to  the  ministers."  ^  The  petition  was 
granted  in  1789,  though  the  Court  stipulated  that  the  money 
received  should  be  held  intact,  "and  the  annual  interest 
itself  thereof  shall  be  appropriated  solely  for  the  benefit  of 
the  ministry  in  said  town,  agreably  to  the  original  appro- 
priation." 

For  sixteen  years  the  Rev.  Ezra  Thayer  served  the  Ware 
River  Parish,  holding  to  the  end  the  affection  of  his  people, 
—  a  fact  that,  in  those  difficult  times,  speaks  much  for  the 
man's  tact.  He  undoubtedly  was,  as  several  historians  as- 
sure us,  a  man  of  "accommodating  turn."  He  was  a  native 
of  Mendon,  and  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College  in  1756.  He 
was  undoubtedly  an  excellent  manager  and  a  shrewd  busi- 
ness man,  possessing  qualities  rare  in  ministers  of  those 
days,  and  which  could  not  fail  to  make  him  respected  in  a 
struggling  community.  That  his  salary  was  not  always 
paid  with  the  regularity  that  could  be  desired  appears  from 
the  Town  Records,  but  there  was  good  humor  on  both  sides, 
and  doubtless  the  money  was  forthcoming  eventually.  An 
article  in  the  warrant  in  1768  was  "to  hear  what  our  minister 
has  to  Lay  Befor  you  Relative  to  his  Salory  not  having  Ben 
Sesonably  payed  him  In  the  Past,  and  to  act  upon  any 
proposal  that  he  may  make  to  you."  Under  this  article  the 
meeting  adjourned  to  Deacon  Cummings's  for  ten  minutes 
(we  can  guess  what  for),  and  returning  refreshed  to  the 
meeting-house  took  no  action  in  the  matter.  But  who  can 
doubt  that  things  went  better  after  wards. »* 

Mr.  Thayer  acquired  considerable  land  during  his  resi- 
dence, and  must  have  been  regarded  as  a  man  of  substance. 
His  widow  Judith  in  1777  sold  some  230  acres  to  Wm.  Page, 
Jr.,  of  Hardwick  for  £560. 

When  but  forty-two  years  of  age  Mr.  Thayer's  earthly  min- 
istry closed.  He  died  Feb.  19, 1775,  apparently  after  a  sickness 
of  considerable  length,  for  the  parish  voted  to  continue  his 
salary  to  the  time  of  his  death,  to  bear  the  funeral  expenses, 

*  A  rather  disingenuous  statement  under  the  circumstances. 


90  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

and  to  "see  about  a  piller  "  to  put  over  his  grave.  It  was 
just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  when  money 
was  scarce  and  taxes  high,  when  everybody  was  in  debt  and 
war  was  filling  men's  minds.  It  was  hardly  a  time  to  give 
much  thought  to  tombstones,  and  the  matter  was  allowed  to 
drop  for  a  time.  But  in  1782  it  was  brought  up  again,  and 
finally  in  1784  a  stone  costing  £4„4,  was  erected  at  the 
parish  expense,  —  a  tribute  to  the  lasting  impression  of  Mr. 
Thayer's  ministry,  and  of  the  affection  his  people  long  re- 
tained. The  epitaph  upon  his  headstone  in  the  old  burying 
place  at  the  Centre  may  still  be  read: 

In  Memory  of  the  Rev.  Ezra  Thayer,  the  Learned,  Pious, 
Faithful,  and  Deservedly  Esteemed  Pastor  of  the  Church  in 
this  town,  who  died  Feb.  12,  1775,  in  the  43d  year  of  his 
age,  and  the  16th  of  his  ministry. 

Go  reader  mind 
The  better  part, 
Believe  the  Gospel, 
Mend  thy  heart. 
Go  learn  to  live, 
Learn  to  die. 
For  die  thou  must 
As  well  as  I. 

EXTRACT  FROM  THE  WILL  OF  EZRA  THAYER 

Further  I  will  and  bequeath  unto  the  Church  and  Con- 
gregation in  Ware  fifty  Dollars  to  be  paid  to  them  when 
they  shall  have  settled  a  regular  Orthodox  Learned  Congre- 
gational INIinister  ordained  according  to  the  Ecclesiastical 
Constitution  of  this  Province,  provided  my  Lands  in  Ware 
be  sold  at  that  Time,  and  if  my  said  Lands  be  not  sold  at 
that  Time,  the  said  sum  is  to  be  secured  to  their  Town  Treas- 
urer whenever  said  Lands  are  sold  said  fifty  Dollars  is  given 
towards  helping  them  to  defray  the  Charge  of  his  settlement. 

Also  it  is  my  Will  that  a  certain  negro  girl  named  Leah 
whom  I  lately  sold  to  Deacon  Solomon  Rich  of  Westurn  in 
the  County  of  Worcester  for  the  Term  of  about  nine  years 
&  an  half,  should  be  freed  &  set  at  Liberty  at  the  Expiration 
of  said  Term  upon  the  following  Conditions  viz  that  she  be 
under  the  guardianship  of  said  Rich  whom  I  hereby  appoint 
her  Guardian,  til  she  has  by  her  sober  and  industrious 
Conduct  given  proper  Evidence  that  she  is  a  Person  fit  to 


PARISH  LIFE   AND  GROWTH  91 

be  set  at  full  Liberty.  It  is  also  my  will  that  the  said  Rich 
should  Take  a  certain  Bond  I  have  against  William  Black- 
amore  Jun'  of  Ware  aforesaid  for  Ten  sheep.  Which  are 
the  Property  of  said  Leah,  and  I  hereby  impower  said  Rich 
to  demand  and  Receive  said  sheep  when  the  Time  fixed  in 
said  Bond  is  Expired,  and  to  let  them  out  for  said  Leah  to 
the  best  Advantage  so  long  as  his  Guardianship  continues. 
Also  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  the  said  Leah  six  Pounds 
Thirteen  shillings  and  four  Pence  to  be  paid  into  the  Hands 
of  her  said  guardian  within  six  Months  after  her  said  nine 
years  &  half  Service  is  expired,  the  said  sheep  &  Money  to 
be  given  to  her  when  it  shall  sufficiently  appear  that  she  is 
capable  of  taking  proper  Care  of  herself  &  her  substance, 
and  she  is  to  be  entitled  to  all  the  Profits  of  them  &  of  her 
Earnings  while  under  guardianship  —  it  is  to  be  understood 
that  the  above  mentioned  Legacy  to  the  Church  &  Congre- 
gation of  Ware  and  the  said  six  Pounds  thirteen  shillings  & 
four  Pence  to  said  Leah  are  to  be  paid  by  the  Person  here- 
after to  be  named  as  Executrix  of  this  my  last  Will  & 
Testament. 

The  census  enumeration  of  1765  reports  one  female  slave 
in  Ware.  The  census  of  1790  records  no  negro  as  being 
owned  here.  So  far  as  the  records  show,  Leah  was  the  only 
slave  ever  held  in  our  town. 

The  library  of  Mr.  Thayer,  described  in  the  inventory  of 
his  estate,  is  of  interest. 

Henery  —  2  vols,  on  the  New  Testament. 

Tillotson's  Works,  3  vol. 

Cruden's  Concordance. 

Clark's  Sermons,  4  vol. 

Lowman  on  Revelation. 

Dycher's  Dictionary. 

Grove's  Works,  2  vol. 

Dr.  Calemon's  Practical  Discourses  on  ye  Parable  of  ye 

Ten  Virgins. 
Preceptors,  2  vol. 
Forten  Sermons. 
Gordon's  Geography. 
An  Essay  on  Prayer. 
Christian  Institutes. 
Orrery  —  Life  of  Swift. 
Derham  —  Astro-Theology. 


92  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Ray*s  Wisdom  of  God  in  the  Works  of  Creation. 

Tate  and  Brady's  Psalms. 

A  Number  of  Pamphlets. 

Henery  on  Prayer. 

12  Latin,  Greek  &  Hebrew  Books,  8  Classic  Books,  one 

old  Dictionary,  Greek  Testament,  Grammar,  Cicero's 

Orations  &c. 
12  Magazines. 

The  library  was  appraised  at  £20„7„3. 

Following  the  death  of  Mr.  Thayer  the  church  was  with- 
out a  settled  pastor  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  They  were 
troublous  times,  the  Revolutionary  War  sapping  the  strength 
of  the  people  and  drawing  away  from  their  homes  the  best 
blood  of  the  community.  There  was  great  poverty,  and 
constant  anxiety  and  sorrow.  In  a  material  sense  it  was  a 
dark  time  for  the  parish.  Spiritually  it  was  otherwise,  for 
such  experiences  always  turn  people's  hearts  back  to  God. 
At  no  time  in  our  history  was  greater  care  and  anxiety  for 
spiritual  ministrations  showed  than  during  this  period.  The 
records  are  full  of  this  spirit,  and  ministerial  supply  was 
fairly  constant  for  the  whole  of  the  ten  years. 

In  1777  it  was  "voted  to  make  proposals  to  Mr.  Chapin 
to  be  our  minister,"  and  a  committee  was  appointed  "to 
Inquire  at  Mr.  Chapin  into  his  Principals,  and  Tarms  of 
Settlement."  Two  years  later  it  was  "voted  unamustly  to 
give  the  Revrant  Mr.  Davenport  a  call  to  setel  in  the  gospel 
minestry,  in  this  place."  In  1780  church  and  parish  united 
in  giving  Mr.  Winslow  Packard  a  call.  The  terms  of  pay- 
ment of  his  settlement  are  interesting,  and  reflect  the 
common  custom  of  the  times  when  money  was  almost 
nonexistent,  and  bills,  —  even  tax  bills,  —  were  payable  in 
commodities.  Wlieat  was  to  be  received  at  five  shillings 
per  bushel,  rye  at  three  shillings  and  four  pence,  Indian  corn 
at  two  shillings  and  six  pence,  pork  at  three  pence  half- 
penny per  pound,  beef  at  two  pence,  wool  at  one  shilling 
and  six  pence,  butter  at  seven  pence,  labor  at  two  shillings 
and  six  pence  per  day  in  haying-time. 

Mr.  Packard  declining  the  call,  it  was  voted  at  a  later 
meeting  of  the  same  year  "to  send  Deacon  Smith  to  see  if 
Mr.  Goodale  will  incline  to  settle  with  us,  and  if  he  will  to 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  93 

Hire  him."  In  1781  the  call  to  Rev.  Winslow  Packard  was 
renewed,  —  again  without  effect.  In  1782  a  somewhat  per- 
manent supply  was  secured  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Tuttle,  — 
an  elderly  man,  who  was  engaged  with  the  humiliating 
stipulation  that  if  the  town  could  get  a  younger  man  he 
should  give  way.  But  young  candidates  were  scarce,  and 
Mr.  Tuttle  held  the  fort  in  spite  of  his  age  for  two  years  or 
more. 

After  Mr.  Tuttle  came  Rev.  Jeremiah  Hallock,  a  man  of 
deep  and  fervent  piety,  to  whom  a  unanimous  call  was  ex- 
tended to  accept  a  settlement.  But  Mr.  Hallock  felt  im- 
pelled to  go  elsewhere.  At  his  departure  he  wrote  in  his 
diary : 

Feb.  1.  Visited  my  pleasant  grove,  and  took  my  fare- 
well of  Ware.  I  have  been  there  twelve  Sabbaths.  When 
I  came  the  young  people  were  light  and  gay,  but  it  has 
pleased  God  to  awaken  them  so  that  their  frolicks  are  turned 
into  conferences,  and  to  God's  name  be  all  the  glory.  There 
are  about  twelve  hopeful  converts.  i. 

Soon  after  this  it  was  voted  to  give  Mr.  Benjamin  Judd  a 
call  to  settle  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry.  Mr.  Judd 
accepted,  and  his  ordination  was  set  for  Oct.  12,  1785.  The 
Rev.  Daniel  Collins  of  Lanesboro'  was  appointed  to  preach 
the  ordination  sermon,  the  other  members  of  the  council 
being  Mr.  West  of  Stockbridge,  Mr.  Munsel  (or  Munson)  of 
Lenox,  Mr.  Baldwin  of  Palmer,  Mr.  Perry  of  Richmond, 
Mr.  Ward  of  Brookfield,  Mr.  Appleton  of  Brookfield,  Mr. 
Forward  of  Belchertown,  and  Mr.  Williams  of  Brimfield. 
Provision  for  the  council  was  made  at  the  town  cost.  All 
this  is  very  commonplace  and  prosaic,  but  there  was  noth- 
ing commonplace  about  Mr.  Judd's  ministry  of  two  years' 
duration. 

It  was  that  critical  period  following  the  Revolution  in 
which  occurred  what  is  known  as  "Shays'  Rebellion."  ^  This 
was  a  popular  outbreak  growing  from  the  oppressive  taxes, 
the  heavy  individual  and  town  debts,  distrust  of  the  govern- 
ment and  other  burdens  and  misfortunes  incident  to  the 

1  Shays'  Rebellion  bore  more  strongly  on  the  ecclesiastical  than  the  civil  history 
of  Ware,  and  is  therefore  touched  upon  in  this  connection. 


94  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

^Ya^.  It  is  of  especial  interest  to  us,  because  our  town  was 
in  the  midst  of  the  disaffected  territory,  and  many  of  our 
citizens  aided  and  abetted  the  movement. 

A  spirit  of  popular  discontent  was  abroad  in  Massachu- 
setts, especially  in  the  purely  agricultural  communities  where 
the  hardships  incident  to  eight  years  of  war  were  most 
keenly  felt.  State,  county  and  town  taxes  were  heavy,  and 
the  farmer,  who  could  not  by  any  means  conceal  his  holdings 
either  from  assessors  or  sheriffs,  found  the  burden  almost 
more  than  he  could  bear,  particularly  as  the  lack  of  circu- 
lating medium  made  his  products  unsalable  for  cash,  and 
he  had  no  other  sources  of  income.  Gold  and  silver  there 
was  none,  and  the  voluminous  issues  of  Continental  paper 
currency  had  lost  credit.  And  the  country  was  flooded  with 
counterfeits  of  even  these  nearly  worthless  bills.^  Every- 
body was  in  financial  straits.  Real  estate  was  unsalable. 
The  soldiers  had  come  home  poor,  sick  and  discouraged. 
Everybody  tried  to  enforce  the  collection  of  debts,  and  at- 
tachments of  property,  as  everyday  affairs,  wrought  the 
people  to  a  dangerous  pitch.  No  wonder  men  were  ready  to 
resort  to  force  to  prevent  the  sale  of  goods  and  lands  at  the 
hands  of  the  sheriff.  The  popular  feeling  was  that  the  laws 
were  unfair  and  oppressive,  though  no  one  knew  in  what 
manner  to  correct  them.^ 

Conventions  to  suggest  means  of  relief,  or  to  influence 
public  opinion,  were  held  in  various  places.  Ware  was 
represented  in  several  of  these.  To  a  convention  at  Hat- 
field Aug.  22,  1786,  called  "to  see  if  a  constitutional  way  of 
Relief,  or  some  Legal  method  cannot  be  proposed  for  the 
security  and  Safety  of  the  Good  people  of  this  Common- 
wealth against  the  burdens  &  Distresses  that  Prevails  at  the 
present  Day,"  Captain  Bullen  was  sent;  David  Brown,  Isaac 
Pepper  and  Daniel  Gould  being  appointed  as  advisory  com- 
mittee. In  November  a  convention  for  "Redress  of  Griev- 
ances "  was  held  at  Hadley,  to  which  Isaac  Pepper  was  sent 
as  delegate.  Mr.  Pepper  was  also  sent  to  Hatfield  in  Jan- 
uary, 1787.     Civil  war   seemed  imminent,  and  in  the  fol- 

'  Allowances  for  counterfeit  bills  form  quite  a  percentage  of  the  business  of  the 
town  meetings. 

'  At  least  three  writs  were  served  against  Ware  in  1784,  and  there  were  other 
town  debts. 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  95 

lowing  month  Captain  Brackenridge,  Mr.  Parker  and  Moses 
Brown  were  sent  as  "a  committee  to  General  Lincoln  and 
Capt.  Shays  to  consult  on  some  measures  for  Peace."  ^ 

There  were  more  or  less  serious  disorders  in  several  places. 
The  popular  desire  being  to  prevent  the  executions  that 
were  pending  against  persons  and  property,  attempts  were 
made  to  prevent  the  sittings  of  the  Courts.  These  attempts 
were  successful  at  Great  Barrington  and  at  Springfield.  At 
Worcester,  too,  the  sessions  were  broken  up  by  armed  men 
under  Captain  Shays. 

About  the  middle  of  January,  1787,  Captain  Shays  ordered 
his  adherents  to  rendezvous  at  Palmer,  where  he  himself 
joined  them.  Not  less  than  1000  men  assembled.  Other 
forces  of  insurgents  were  gathered  at  West  Springfield  and 
at  Chicopee.  Shays'  plan  was  to  storm  the  Springfield  Ar- 
senal. He  marched  from  Palmer  on  January  24,  and  entered 
Springfield  the  next  day,  having  camped  for  the  night  at 
Wilbraham.  But  at  Springfield  the  militia,  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  Shepard,  who  acted  under  orders  from 
General  Lincoln,  was  ready  under  arms.  Only  one  volley 
was  fired.  Three  insurgents  were  killed  and  one  mortally 
wounded,  at  which  Shays  and  his  men  fled  in  confusion. 
This  was  the  death-blow  of  the  rebellion. 

I  have  said  that  the  movement  was  of  the  common  people. 
The  better  educated  and  professional  classes  were  most 
strongly  opposed  to  it.  Judges,  lawyers  and  clergymen,  as 
the  conservative  element  in  society,  were  unmeasured  in  their 
denunciations.  Among  these  was  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Judd. 
He  used  his  pulpit  as  a  forum  from  which  he  denounced  the 
abettors  of  the  rebellion  in  no  measured  terms.  Deacon 
Maverick  Smith  and  Abijah  Davis  left  the  meeting-house  in 
the  midst  of  public  worship  "in  contempt  of  the  pastor,  or 
what  he  delivered."  They,  together  with  Deacon  Thomas 
Jenkins,  Thomas  Marsh  and  Daniel  Gould,  thereafter  ab- 
sented themselves  from  public  worship.  Both  these  acts 
were  deemed  grounds  for  the  exercise  of  discipline.  Counter- 
charges were  preferred  against  the  pastor  for  harsh  ex- 
pressions both  in  public  and  in  private. 

^    Major  General  Lincola  was  ia  command  of  the  State  troops.  Captain  Shays  of 
insurgents. 


96  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

An  Ecclesiastical  Council  was  called  to  settle  the  griev- 
ances and  to  restore  harmony  amongst  the  divided  and  ex- 
cited flock,  or  else  to  dissolve  the  relation  between  pastor 
and  church.  The  Council  convened,  consisting  of  eight 
ministers  and  seven  laymen  from  the  neighboring  churches. 
Charges  and  countercharges  were  laid  before  the  Council. 
After  mature  deliberation  Deacon  Maverick  Smith,  Mr. 
Thomas  Marsh  and  Daniel  Gould  were  censured  for  absent- 
ing themselves  from  public  worship,  their  conduct  charac- 
terized as  "  a  flagrant  violation  of  the  Divine  Laws  .  .  .  and 
of  all  order  in  the  Church  of  Christ." 

The  charge  against  Deacon  Thomas  Jenkins,  Lieut. 
Abraham  Cummings,  Ebenezer  Nye  and  Lieut.  David 
Brown  for  aiding  and  assisting  in  the  rebellion  was  unani- 
mously supported.  The  Council  characterized  the  rebel- 
lion as  "most  wicked  and  unprovokable,  that  it  was  a  crime 
of  y°  most  aggravated  nature,"  and  the  four  men  were  de- 
clared censurable. 

The  Council's  dealings  with  the  charges  against  Mr. 
Judd  for  "harsh  expressions  "  might  serve  as  a  model  of 
casuistry.  With  respect  to  the  expression  "Hell-Hound," 
said  to  have  been  delivered  but  not  written,  it  was  declared 
"not  proven."  "For  calling  the  Chh.  a  pretended  one. 
These  words  used  by  ISLr.  Judd  are  capable  of,  and  often 
used  in  a  sense  that  is  unexceptionable,  and  it  does  not 
appear  to  this  Council  but  they  were  so  used  by  Mr.  Judd." 
For  saying  that  "he  would  as  soon  pray  for  the  Devils  in  Hell 
as  for  y^  insurgents,"  Mr.  Judd  is  excused  because  he 
"immediately  explained  himself  as  meaning  only  for  their 
success  and  prosperity  in  their  unlawful  undertakings." 
His  saying  that  "if  the  Devil  was  Governor  or  Ruler  the 
People  ought  to  Obey  Him,"  was  conceded  to  be  a  "rash 
and  unguarded  expression." 

Enough  has  been  quoted  to  show  the  state  of  affairs;  yet 
the  Council  refused  to  sever  the  pastoral  relation,  doubtless 
hoping  that  bitterness  would  die  as  the  rebellion  itself  had 
died.  Mr.  Judd  was  declared  to  be  "an  honest  faithful 
minister  of  Christ,"  and  it  was  held  that  "if  the  Chh  & 
People  in  this  Town  will  attend  to  their  duty,  lay  aside  all 
wrath  &  bitterness,  and  put  on  as  the  Elect  of  God,  kindness 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  97 

and  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness  and  gentleness,  their 
Rev'nd.  Pastor  may  be  a  great  Blessing  to  them." 

Much  excellent  advice  was  given  both  to  pastor  and 
people,  and  as  to  discipline,  a  return  to  duty  was  declared 
to  be  a  "sufficient  satisfaction  for  past  errors  and  miscon- 
duct." Any  expectation  that  peace  would  so  easily  be  re- 
stored was  manifestly  Utopian.  Two  months  later  the  town 
in  legal  meeting  voted  to  dismiss  their  minister,  the  vote 
being  taken  by  a  division  of  the  house,  and  standing  63  to 
13.  Another  Ecclesiastical  Council  was  convened  in  Sep- 
temberi  and  the  pastoral  relation  dissolved;  Mr.  Judd  being 
declared  "not  to  have  forfeited  his  moral  or  ministerial 
character."  The  Council  therefore  recommends  him  "to 
future  usefulness  in  any  part  of  the  Vineyard  where  God  in 
his  Providence  may  call  him." 

After  the  dismission  ^  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Judd  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor  for  jBve  years. 

It  was  a  period  of  reconstruction  after  the  Revolutionary 
War,  a  time  of  hardship  and  of  extreme  poverty.  For  two 
years  the  church  was  at  a  standstill,  not  a  single  official 
meeting  being  recorded  for  that  period  in  the  parish  records. 

That  does  not  mean,  however,  that  there  was  no  preaching. 
In  March,  1788,  it  was  voted  to  supply  the  pulpit,  and  a  com- 
mittee of  three  was  appointed  to  "make  apply  cation  to  the 
Association,  or  any  other  Gentlemen  they  think  proper." 
William  Page,  who  had  entertained  the  last  Council,  was 
appointed  to  board  the  ministers  for  the  year  ensuing. 

In  the  following  year  it  was  voted  "that  the  Ministerial 
Committee  apply  to  Mr.  Chroysby  to  supply  the  pulpit  for 
the  present." 

At  a  meeting  in  May,  1789,  it  was  voted  "to  sell  the  Pue 
Ground  to  the  Highest  Bidor,"  money  being  needed  for 
repairs  on  the  meeting-house.  The  sale  seems  to  have  been 
anything  but  a  solemn  affair,  for  the  vendue  was  adjourned 
to  Ebenezer  Nye's  tavern  where  the  interspersion  of  further 

*  The  expenses  of  the  Council  that  dismissed  Mr.  Judd,  which  were  met  by  the 
town,  were  as  follows : 

"  212  meals  at  7d  per  meal. 

68  lodgings  at  2d  each. 

4d  for  keeping  a  horse  24  hours,  —  76  horses. 

Four  gallons  of  new  rum  at  3s  per  gallon. 

Two  gallons  of  old  rum  at  5s  per  gallon." 


98  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

adjournments  of  from  five  to  fifteen  minutes  each  were  re- 
sorted to  to  lubricate  the  sales.  A  good  sum  appears  to  have 
been  realized,  the  purchasers  not  paying  cash  being  required 
to  give  security. 

Soon  after  this,  application  was  made  to  a  Mr.  Alesworth 
to  fill  the  pulpit,  which  he  did  for  a  time,  to  be  followed  by 
Mr.  Briggs. 

In  September,  1789,  a  church  meeting  was  held,  at  which 
two  deacons  were  chosen,  and  the  right  of  veto,  given  first 
to  Grindall  Rawson,  and  later  confirmed  to  Ezra  Thayer, 
was  withdrawn  from  future  pastors. 

It  has  caused  considerable  surprise  that  such  a  power 
should  ever  have  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  pastor  of 
the  church.  "This,^  it  is  said,  was  voted  for  several  rea- 
sons, none  of  which  are  given;  and  to  our  minds  it  is  more 
than  questionable  whether  any  good  reasons  could  have 
been  assigned,  for  the  vote  was  a  direct  violation  of  the 
first  principles  of  Congregationalism,  giving  the  pastor  the 
power  of  a  veto,  and  so  violating  the  integrity  of  a  body, 
which,  after  the  primitive  pattern  is  competent  to  all  eccle- 
siastical action."  Mr.  Coburn  fails  to  apprehend  the  very 
excellent  reason  that  the  vote  was  passed;  namely,  that 
the  ordaining  councils,  with  little  confidence  in  the  spiritual 
discernment  of  our  early  church  members,  dictated  the 
action  to  them. 

In  1790  several  church  meetings  were  held.  The  church 
"went  into  a  general  examination  of  themselves,  and  a  re- 
newal of  their  covenant." 

Nothing  could  give  a  better  picture  of  the  social  and 
religious  condition  of  the  time  than  the  following  brief 
votes : 

That  inconstancy  in  family  prayer  be  a  matter  of  dis- 
cipline. That  excess  in  drinking  strong  liquors  be  a  mat- 
ter of  discipline.  That  all  vain,  and  profane  words,  such 
as  I  Swair,  —  I  Vow,  —  Cuss  you  or  me,  —  faith,  —  Damn 
you  or  me,  —  and  all  other  words  of  the  same  nature, 
—  and  every  other  Sin  that  the  Word  of  God  forbideth 
shall  be  matters  of  Disciphne  in  this  Church. 

^  Cobura's  Address,  1851. 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  99 

Early  in  1792  a  serious  move  was  made  toward  obtaining 
a  settled  pastor.  Following  a  vote  of  the  church  this 
letter  was  sent  to  three  neighboring  ministers: 

Ware,  Feb.  14,  1792. 
Reverend  Sir :  — 

The  Church  of  God  in  this  place,  have  this  day  voted  to 
set  apart  Thursday  23rd  instant  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humili- 
ation, and  prayer  to  seek  of  the  Lord  a  right  way  in  order 
to  resettle  a  Gospel  Minister.  Voted  also  to  invite  Messrs 
Ward,  Holt  and  Crosby  to  come  and  assist  them  with  their 
Labours  of  Love.  These  are  therefore  to  request  your  kind 
attendance.^ 

William  Page,  Moderator. 

On  this  day  of  special  observances  the  church  "Unani- 
mously voted  to  give  Mr.  Reuben  Moss  an  invitation  to 
settle  in  this  place  as  a  Gospel  Minister."  At  the  March 
meeting,  which  followed  soon  after,  the  town  unanimously 
voted  to  concur  with  the  church,  and  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  draw  up  proposals.  A  grant  of  £150  for  settle- 
ment was  made,  and  Mr.  Moss's  salary  was  fixed  at  £80  a 
year. 

The  proceedings  are  laid  before  us  in  a  series  of  interesting 
documents  .2 

To  the  Church  and  other  Inhabitants  in  Ware. 
Brethren  and  Friends, 

I  have  taken  your  Call,  to  settle  with  you  as  a  Gospel 
minister,  into  serious,  deliberate  and  prayerful  Considera- 
tion. Influenced  by  Solomon's  Assertion,  In  the  multi- 
tude of  Counsellors  there  is  safety,  I  have  also  asked  the 
opinion  of  my  Honoured  Parents  and  of  many  Reverend 
Fathers  in  the  Ministry.  On  the  whole,  reviewing  the  singu- 
lar Providence  of  God,  in  opening  a  door  for  me  to  preach  the 
gospel  among  you,  the  Unanimity  of  your  hearts  in  Electing 
me  for  your  pastor,  Your  generous  Proposals  for  my  tem- 
poral support  and  the  joint  Encouragement  of  all  to  whom 
I  have  made  application  for  advice  to  go  forward,  I  am  in- 

1  Rev.  Ephraim  Ward  of  Brookfield,  Rev.  Thomas  Holt  of  Hardwick  and  Rev. 
Joshua  Crosby  of  Greenwich. 

'^  Reuben  Moss,  a  native  of  Cheshire,  Connecticut,  graduated  at  Yale  College  in 
1787,  and  studied  theology  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Benj.  Trumbull  of  New  Haven. 
—  Hyde. 


100  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

clined  to  think  that  the  Voice  of  the  People  is  the  voice  of 
God,  saying,  this  is  the  way,  walk  in  it;  however,  contempla- 
ting the  ]\Iagnitude  and  extent  of  a  good  work,  how  many 
fiery  darts  may  be  hurled  at  an  Officer  in  the  Church  Mili- 
tant, and  the  Solemn  account  all  who  watch  for  souls  must 
give  at  the  last  great  day,  I  am  ready  to  adopt  the  language 
of  the  apostle,  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things.  But  the 
Captain  of  our  Salvation  hath  said,  Lo  I  am  with  you 
always.  Animated  by  this  Great  and  precious  promise,  I 
Cheerfully  comply  with  your  joint  invitation.  Let  me  be 
Interested  always  in  your  effectual  fervent  prayers,  and  con- 
stantly supported  by  your  pious  Examples,  and  I  think  I 
shall  be  cordially  willing  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  you. 

I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  he  would  satisfy  you  early  with  his  mercies,  do  you 
good  and  make  you  Glad  according  to  the  days  wherein  he 
hath  afflicted  you,  and  the  years  wherein  you  have  seen 
Evil.  Now  the  God  of  hope  pour  his  spirit  upon  you,  and 
his  blessing  upon  your  offspring  and  fill  you  all,  both  old 
and  young  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may 
abound  in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  holy  Ghost. 
Permit  me  to  subscribe  myself  your  servant  for  Jesus'  Sake. 

Reuben   Moss. 

N.  B.  As  Ware  is  so  far  from  my  kindred  according  to 
the  flesh,  from  the  public  Seats  of  Literature.  &c.,  I  may  have 
occasion  to  be  absent  three  or  four  Sabbaths  Yearly. 

P.  S.  It  is  written  If  any  man  provide  not  for  his  own, 
but  especially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied 
the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  Infidel.  You  will  expect 
therefore  that  I  pay  suitable  attention  to  the  things  which 
are  seen.  I  shall  consider  it  an  act  of  kindness  if  the  town 
will  give  their  obligation  to  Mr.  Thomas  Marsh  for  forty- 
five  pounds  as  soon  as  he  procures  and  delivers  me  a  War- 
rantee Deed  of  the  seventeen  acres  of  land  called  his  wife's 
thirds.  If  it  be  your  pleasure  that  the  year  in  your  computa- 
tion of  time  respecting  my  annual  Salary  commence  the 
first  day  of  April,  when  I  last  returned  to  you  from  Pelham, 
I  have  no  objections.  —  Once  more  I  beg  leave  to  rely  on 
your  punctuality.  Punctuality  will  be  best  for  you,  for  in 
general  sufficient  unto  a  year  are  the  burdens  thereof. 
Punctuality  I  apprehend  will  be  of  great  service  to  me.  I 
supijose  I  shall  be  willing  to  enter  into  a  family  state,  as 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  101 

soon  as  I  can  procure  Decent  Buildings  without  being  much 
involved,  and  I  have  but  little  to  depend  on  to  defray  the 
expense  of  Building,  besides  my  annual  income  and  the 
kind  donation  of  a  generous  people.  Punctuality,  therefore, 
and  any  assistance  which  has  been  or  may  be  proposed, 
will  be  received  with  gratitude  by  him  who  is  cheerfully 
devoted  to  the  service  of  God  our  Saviour  among  you. 
Finally,  Brethren,  be  perfect,  be  of  good  Comfort,  be  of 
one  mind,  live  in  peace,  and  the  God  of  Love  and  Peace 
shall  be  with  you.  Happy  is  that  People  that  is  in  such  a 
case,  yea  happy  is  that  People  whose  God  is  the  Lord. 

Ware,  May  18,  1792." 

The  Church  of  God  in  Ware  to  the  Church  of  God  in 
Keene  —  Greeting. 

Through  the  good  hand  of  our  God  we  have  unanimously 
given  Mr.  Reuben  Moss,  Candidate,  a  call  to  settle  with  us 
as  a  Gospel  minister,  and  take  the  Pastoral  charge  and  over- 
sight of  the  Church  and  Congregation;  and  the  town  have 
also  unanimously  concurred  in  the  Call.  God  hath  also 
inclined  his  heart  to  accept  the  invitation.  The  25th  day 
of  June  is  appointed  for  his  ordination.  This,  therefore,  is 
to  request  you  to  come  by  Pastor  and  delegate  and  unite 
with  the  Pastors  and  delegates  of  other  churches  in  setting 
him  apart  for  the  work,  to  which  we  trust  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  called  him.  The  Churches  to  whom  application  will 
be  made  are  Cheshire,  North  Haven,  Palmer,  1st.  in  Brook- 
field,  New  Braintree,  Hardwicke,  and  the  two  at  Green- 
wich. The  Council  will  convene  at  the  house  of  Deacon 
William  Paige  Wednesday  20th  of  June  11  a.m.  Wishing 
you  Grace,  Mercy  and  Peace  may  be  multiplied  unto  you 
abundantly,  we  subscribe  ourselves  your  Brethren  in  the 
Faith  and  Patience  of  our  Common  Lord. 

Daniel  Gould 

William  Paige  Committee  in  behalf  of  the  Church 

David  Brown 

Ware,  May  31,  1792. 

Rev.  Aaron  Hall  to  be  communicated. 

Upon  the  assembling  of  the  council  the  Rev.  Moses  Bald- 
win of  Palmer  was  chosen  moderator,  and  Daniel  Foster  of 
New  Braintree  scribe.  Benjamin  Trumbull  of  New  Haven 
opened  with  prayer;    the  charge  to  the  candidate  was  de- 


102  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

livered  hy  Ephraim  Ward  of  Brookfield;  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  was  assigned  to  John  Foot  of  Cheshire.  Aaron 
Hall  of  Keene  and  Joseph  Blodget  of  Greenwich  took  parts 
in  the  services,  and  Benjamin  Trumbull  preached  the 
sermon.^ 

Amiable  relations  between  pastor  and  people  were  at 
once  established.  Mr.  Moss's  appreciation  of  the  generous 
provision  made  for  him  appears  from  the  following: 

REUBEN  MOSS  TO  THE  WHOLE  TOWN, 

Greeting. 

As  it  is  customary  in  this  Commonwealth  for  every  family 
to  make  an  Entertainment,  I  am  sensible  that  the  expenses 
of  Ordination  have  been  pretty  considerable.  And  you  have 
been  at  some  Cost  and  pains  in  sending  to  call  my  distant 
friends.  Desirous  therefore  of  sharing  with  you  in  the  Ex- 
penses of  Ordination  and  of  exhibiting  a  public  solid  testi- 
mony of  my  grateful  sense  of  your  kindness  in  sending  so 
far  to  my  old  friends,  I  request  you  to  accept  five  pounds. 
If  you  comply  with  this  request,  the  Assessors  may  be 
directed  to  make  a  rate  bill  for  this  year's  Salary,  which 
will  amount  to  only  seventy-five  pounds. 

The  ]Moderator  of  the  Town  Meeting  of  Ware,  to  be  com- 
municated. 

Ware,  June  26,  1792. 

In  answer  to  this,  the  town  voted  "to  accept  of  Mr. 
Moss's  gratis." 

The  installation  of  Reuben  Moss  marks  an  epoch  in  the 
life  of  Ware,  —  both  parish  and  town.  During  his  ministry 
of  nearly  seventeen  years,  he  was  a  power  in  religious  and 

'  The  text  was  1  Tim.  iii,  1.  "This  is  a  true  saying  if  a  man  desire  the  oflSce  of  a 
bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  thing."  Toward  the  end  the  preacher  speaking  with 
great  gentleness  and  tact  says:  "I  wish  now  with  tenderness  and  freedom  to  ad- 
dress the  Church  and  people  of  God  in  this  town.  Men,  Brethren  and  Fathers; 
Great  is  the  joy  which  we  feel  in  the  happy  prospects  of  this  day.  We  both  rejoice 
with  you,  and  give  thanks  to  God,  that  after  your  broken  circumstances,  you  have 
been  enabled  with  such  harmony,  to  resettle  the  gospel  ministry  among  you.  In 
the  pleasing  prospect  that  God  is  about  to  give  you  a  pastor  after  his  own  heart 
•  who  will  feed  you  with  knowledge  and  understanding,'  and  that  you  will  have  peace 
and  be  edified  .  .  .  with  what  seriousness  and  constancy  should  you  attend  his  min- 
istry, pray  and  strive  to  promote  the  great  ends  of  it  with  respect  to  yourselves 
and  your  children.  .  .  .  Spend  not  your  precious  sabbaths  at  home  in  sloth  and 
drowsiness.  .  .  .  Take  heed  how  you  hear,  .  .  .  live  in  peace  that  the  God  of  love 
and  peace  may  be  with  you." 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  103 

educational  matters;  a  true  type  of  the  traditional  parson 
of  the  old  days  who  was  The  Person  of  the  community. 

Within  a  year  of  his  settlement  the  church  revised  the 
articles  of  faith  and  church  covenant,  adding  five  articles 
of  agreement,  the  whole  being  ratified  "after  repeated 
examination  and  much  deliberation,  after  solemn  fasting, 
and  united  prayers,  asking  '  Wisdom  of  God  who  giveth  to 
all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth  not.' " 

One  of  the  articles  ^  was  a  virtual  repeal  of  the  Half- 
Way  Covenant  adopted  many  years  earlier. 

Church  discipline  was  established  on  the  strictest  possible 
basis.  At  a  church  meeting  Feb.  19,  1793,  it  was  "voted 
that  the  church  are  of  the  opinion  all  those  faults  which  by 
any  means  become  public,  ought  to  be  confessed  before  the 
congregation."  This  meant  a  double  confession,  first  before 
"the  Church,"  that  is,  the  church  members  sitting  in  coun- 
cil, and  then  before  the  entire  congregation.  The  latter  was 
a  humiliation  scarcely  endurable,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that 
the  demand  for  it  more  often  met  a  point-blank  refusal 
than  a  compliance. 

When  we  consider  the  character  of  the  faults  that  were 
most  likely  to  be  notorious,  we  may  well  wonder  what  the 
effect  of  so  public  a  confession  would  be  upon  a  mixed 
assemblage. 

It  is  reported  that  education  and  morals  improved  very 
much  during  Mr.  Moss's  ministry.  The  man  himself  was 
characterized  2  as  "of  ardent  piety,  of  refined  feelings,  and 
somewhat  distinguished  as  a  biblical  scholar.  As  a  preacher 
he  was  plain  and  practical  and  enforced  his  instructions  by 
a  blameless  example.  Many  will  long  remember  him  as  the 
faithful  and  affectionate  friend  of  the  young.  In  his  labors 
for  this  class  of  the  community  he  was  indefatigable.  He 
was  remarkably  particular  and  felicitous  in  attention  to  the 
district  schools.  Though  at  the  time  of  his  settlement  the 
schools  were  in  a  very  low  and  disordered  state,  they  soon 
became  much  improved  through  his  attention  and  influ- 
ence.    By  his  effort  in  this  department  of  his  labors,  he 

*  The  entire  document  is  of  interest  to  the  student  of  New  England  Theology, 
but  it  is  too  long  to  be  quoted  in  a  general  history. 
2  Mr.  Reed's  "  Discourse." 


104  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

was  instrumental  in  preparing  a  large  number  of  young 
men  to  engage  in  the  instruction  of  schools  in  this  town 
and  vicinity.  By  this  means  he  greatly  raised  the  tone 
of  moral  feeling  and  the  standard  of  education  among  his 
people.  Twice  in  his  ministry  he  was  afflicted  with  severe 
turns  of  derangement.  He  died,  deeply  lamented,  on  the 
17th  of  February,  1809,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  age.  '  The 
memory  of  the  just  is  blessed.'  " 

The  epitaph  of  Mr.  Moss  at  the  old  cemetery  at  the 
Centre  is  as  follows: 

In  memory  of  the  Rev.  Reuben  Moss  of  Ware  who  died 
Feb'y  17,  1809  in  the  50th  year  of  his  age  &  in  the  17th  year 
of  his  ministry. 

Here  lies  the  messenger  of  truth.  His  theme  divine,  his 
office  sacred,  his  credentials  clear.  By  him  the  violated  law 
spake  out  its  thunders  &  by  him,  in  strains  as  sweet  as 
Angels  use,  the  Gospel  whispered  peace.  In  doctrine  un- 
corrupt;  in  language  plain,  &  plain  in  manner.  Much  im- 
press'd  himself,  as  conscious  of  his  awful  charge,  &  anxious 
mainly,  that  the  flock  he  fed  might  feel  it  too.^ 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  sojourn  in  Ware  of  this 
saintly  man  was  altogether  untroubled.  It  looks,  in  fact,  a 
little  as  if  his  mental  derangement  may  have  been  caused  or 
aggravated  by  his  trials.  Some  serious  difficulty  was  being 
experienced  at  the  end  of  1802,  when,  as  appears  from  the 
records,  his  mind  gave  way.^  At  that  time  a  committee  was 
chosen  *'to  wait  upon  the  Brookfield  Association  at  their 
next  session  for  their  advice  relative  to  the  situation  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Moss,"  and  meanwhile  preaching  was  hired  for 
three  or  four  Sundays.  In  the  following  March  a  committee 
of  twenty-one  members  was  appointed  to  confer  with  Mr. 
Moss  relative  to  some  demands  made  by  him,  there  being  a 
question  as  to  whether  agreements  with  him  had  been  faith- 
fully carried  out.  Then  in  May  another  committee  was 
appointed  "to  settle  with  the  Rev.  Reuben  Moss."    Things 

*  From  Cowper's  "Task." 

'  Mr.  Moss  was  adjudged  "a  non-compos  person,"  and  his  estate  inventoried 
Aug.  9,  1802.  George  Breakenridge  was  appointed  guardian.  On  March  10,  1803, 
the  selectmen  certify  that  Rev.  Mr.  Moss  is  restored  to  sanity.  During  his  de- 
rangement, wliich  was  a  form  of  melanchoHa,  he  was  treated  with  a  harshness  that 
would  not  be  tolerated  today,  being  shackled  about  the  ankle,  and  chained. 


Al\l  Tk 


■N,\\      U  i'lM. 


,\\ 


THE  MEETING-HOUSE  AT  THE 
CENTRE 

This  building,  erected  in  ISOO,  replaced  the 
earlier  structure  which  had  served  the  Parish 
since  1750. 


THE  RICH  HOUSE 

Built  about  J792  bij  George,  youngest  son  of 
Ca])t.  William  lirakcnridge.  This  was  one 
of  the  first  two-star y  homes  built  in  town.  It 
contained  a  hall  in  which  singing  school  was 
held.  The  house  is  still  occupied  by  the  direct 
descendants  of  the  family. 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  105 

went  badly  that  summer,  and  at  the  end  of  September,  at 
a  special  meeting,  it  was  "Voted  that  the  Rev.  Reuben  Moss 
be  dismissed  from  the  pastoral  care  over  the  Church  and 
people  in  this  town,  and  to  serve  him  with  a  copy  of  said 
vote."  But  no  action  appears  to  have  been  taken  by  the 
church  in  the  matter,^  and  in  May,  1803,  the  situation  was 
again  before  the  town,  at  which  time  it  was  voted  that  Mr. 
Moss  be  continued  as  minister  of  the  parish. 

Soon  after  the  installation  of  Mr.  Moss  the  need  of  a  new 
meeting-house,  to  replace  the  building  that  had  answered 
the  parish  requirements  almost  fifty  years,  began  to  press 
upon  the  town.  The  old  question  as  to  location  was  again 
raised,  and  various  committees  were  appointed  to  consider 
the  matter.  Surveys  were  made,  meeting  after  meeting  was 
held;  but  it  was  impossible  to  agree  upon  a  new  site.  The 
matter  dragged,  and  the  town  was  forced  to  repair  the  old 
meeting-house  for  the  time  being.  After  years  of  fruitless 
delay  the  obvious  decision  was  reached,  to  set  the  new  build- 
ing upon  the  town  land  close  to  the  old  meeting-house.  The 
building  was  to  be  financed  by  a  sale  of  pews  as  located  on 
the  plan  which  was  drawn,  submitted  to  the  town,  and 
accepted. 

In  September,  1798,  it  was  "Voted  to  allow  the  pound  to 
be  taken  and  used  in  preparing  the  foundations."  The 
contract  for  the  building  was  awarded  in  December  of  the 
same  year  as  follows: 

These  Presents  witnesseth  to  the  agreement  made  be- 
tween the  Committee  appointed  by  the  Town  of  Ware  to 
build  a  Meeting  House  in  said  Town  on  the  one  part  and 
Ezekiel  Baxter  of  Spencer  in  the  County  of  Worcester  on 
the  other  part  viz  The  said  Ezekiel  Baxter  hereby  promises 
and  ingages  for  himself  his  heirs  Executors  administrator 
and  assigns  To  Build  a  Meeting  House  in  said  Town  of 
Ware  (at  the  place  that  is  agreed  by  said  Town  of  Ware 
to  set  the  Meeting  House)  and  to  do  the  same  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner  that  is  to  do  the  whole  of  the  work  part  to 
a  House  that  is  fifty  seven  feet  long  and  forty  four  feet  wide 
and  is  about  Twenty  eight  feet  post  with  a  porch  at  each 
end  of  said  House  that  is  twelve  by  thirteen  feet  bigness 

*  The  church  records  show  a  gap  from  June,  1800  to  June,  1809. 


106  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

and  of  suitable  height  Said  House  and  porches  to  be  well 
and  completely  Timbered  Studded  and  Braced  and  the 
whole  of  the  framing  work  and  finishing  work  outside  and 
inside  and  plaistering  above  the  underpining  to  be  done  in 
the  best  approved  manner  in  the  Judgment  of  such  workmen 
that  are  competent  to  do  the  part  of  a  Meeting  House  the 
outside  of  said  House  to  be  finished  by  the  fifteenth  day  of 
October  next  and  the  residue  of  said  work  of  every  descrip- 
tion to  be  done  by  the  fifteenth  day  of  October  which  shall 
be  in  the  year  Eighteen  hundred,  and  the  said  Committee 
on  there  part  in  behalf  of  said  Town  of  Ware  do  hereby 
promise  and  ingage  that  they  will  seasonably  provide  at 
the  spot  where  said  House  is  to  be  built  the  whole  of  the 
Material  of  every  description  of  whatsoever  name  or  Nature 
that  will  be  needed  for  said  House  and  such  that  shall  be 
suitable  for  the  same  and  for  doing  the  work  as  above  ex- 
press'd  to  give  or  cause  to  be  given  to  him  the  said  Ezekiel 
Baxter  the  sum  of  Eleven  hundred  Dollars  one  half  of  said 
sum  to  be  paid  by  the  fifteenth  day  of  October  next  to 
be  paid  in  some  drover  or  buchers  note  that  can  be  well 
recommended  payable  in  sixty  days  with  Interest  and  the 
other  half  to  be  paid  by  the  fifteenth  day  of  October  in  the 
year  Eighteen  hundred  in  the  like  note  of  hand  with  interest 
and  to  procure  for  the  accommodation  of  him  the  said 
Ezekiel  Baxter  the  use  of  house  room  while  he  is  doing  the 
work  to  said  House  and  to  carry  one  thousand  feet  of  white 
pine  boards  that  is  suitable  for  window  sashes  to  his  house 
at  Spencer  and  to  bring  a  load  of  provisions  from  his  house 
to  Ware  and  also  to  fetch  the  sashes  and  other  work  that 
shall  be  made  out  of  said  boards  to  the  place  where  it  shall 
be  wanted  and  if  it  shall  so  happen  that  said  outside  of  said 
is  finish'd  before  the  fifteenth  day  of  October  next  in  that 
case  said  committee  ingages  to  pay  the  interest  for  said 
sum  of  the  first  payment  from  the  time  of  finishing  said 
outside  untill  the  same  is  paid  and  upon  condition  that  there 
is  a  failure  in  either  party  then  the  Damage  to  made  good 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Injured  party. 

In  witness  whereof  the  parties  have  interchangeably  Sub- 
scribed there  hands  this  fifteenth  day  of  December  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  One  thousand  Seven  hundred  and  Ninety 
eight 

N.  B.  it  is  understood  by  the  parties  that  the  committee 
is  to  be  at  the  cost  of  raising  said  House  Excepting  said 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  107 

Ezekiel  Baxter  time  in  which  he  is  to  assist  in  raising  the 
Same  in  the  foregoing  Bargain 

Ezekiel  Baxter 
Daniel  Gould 
Simeon  Cummings 
Isaac  Pepper 
James  Brakenridge 
George  Brakenridge 
Thomas  Patrick 


Committee 


The  "raising  "  was  arranged  for  June,  1799.  It  was  in 
this  year  that  Isaac  Pepper  and  some  others  petitioned  the 
town  for  permission  to  place  a  cupola  upon  the  new  building. 
A  subscription  was  raised,  the  frame  put  up  and  fastened  to 
the  house,  and  the  town  then  informed  that  it  was  at  liberty 
to  finish  it  or  not  as  it  chose.  This  was  called  "A  right 
Pepper  trick,"  an  expression  that  remained  current  for  two 
generations.  In  July,  1800,  the  town  voted  a  sum  suffi- 
cient to  finish  the  cupola.  At  the  same  time  there  was  much 
dissatisfaction  over  the  "pillows"  in  the  meeting-house, 
the  location  of  which  had  to  be  changed  several  times.  As 
the  new  building  approached  completion  it  was  voted  to  sell 
the  old  meeting-house,  to  be  removed  within  ten  days  of  the 
occupation  of  the  new  one,  the  pews  being  reserved  to  their 
several  owners. 

The  work  on  the  cupola  in  1799  seems  not  to  have 
been  satisfactory,  and  in  1801  a  committee  was  appointed 

to  see  that  the  deck  of  the  Cupola  is  corked  and  made  tite 
so  as  to  prevent  the  water  from  penetrating  through  and  also 
to  finish  glaizeing  s'^  Cupola  and  other  panes  of  glass  which 
are  broken  in  the  meeting  house  and  fasten  the  upper  case- 
ments of  the  windows  so  as  to  prevent  them  from  makeing 
an  Interruption  in  time  of  publick  worship. 

Voted  that  the  front  door  of  the  meeting  house  be 
bolted  as  soon  as  the  Speaker  hath  entered. 

In  1807  a  number  of  citizens  proposed  to  give  the  town  a 
bell,  whereupon  it  was  "voted  that  there  may  be  a  bell 
placed  upon  the  deck  of  the  cupola  in  this  town,  upon  some 
conditions."     The  conditions  were  that  "the  bell  be  pur- 


108  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

chased  and  hung  upon  said  deck  free  from  any  cost  or  ex- 
pense upon  said  town  either  by  tax  or  otherwise."  This  was 
to  prevent  a  repetition  of  the  "Pepper  trick."  The  proposed 
subscribers  did  not  meet  the  conditions,  and  no  bell  was 
hung  until  1826. 

A  little  more  than  a  year  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Moss,  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Ware  was  invited  to  settle  as  minister,  town 
and  church  concurring  in  the  call.  There  was  much  discus- 
sion over  terms  of  settlement,  which,  however,  were  finally 
adjusted  as  follows: 

Voted  to  give  Mr.  Samuel  Ware  five  hundred  Dollars 
Settlement  on  condition  he  should  be  an  ordained  Minister 
in  the  town  of  Ware  fifteen  years,  and  if  he  should  not  be 
continued  fifteen  years,  in  that  proportion  for  the  time  he 
shall  continue  to  be  our  Minister  and  the  residue  to  be  re- 
funded again  to  the  town.  Said  five  hundred  Dollars  to  be 
paid  at  the  time  of  ordination. 

Voted  to  give  Mr.  Samuel  Ware  three  hundred  &  eighty 
Dollars  Salary  per  year  so  long  as  he  shall  continue  to  be 
an  ordained  Minister  in  the  town  of  Ware,  he  to  have  and 
receive  the  annual  premium  of  twenty  Dollars  which  is 
annually  due  from  said  town  of  Ware,  to  the  Minister; 
making  in  the  whole  four  hundred  Dollars  annually. 

From  the  church  records  we  learn  that  "the  Rev.  Samuel 
W^are  was  ordained  to  the  pastoral  watch  and  care  of  this 
Church  and  people  in  Ware,  Oct.  31,  1810." 

]\Ir.  Ware  proved  a  useful  minister  for  more  than  fifteen 
years,  and  gathered  197  into  the  church,  177  by  profession, 
and  20  by  letters  from  other  churches.  He  was  dismissed 
in  consequence  of  ill  health  in  1826,  and  the  following  vote 
of  the  town  indicates  the  respect  in  which  he  was  held: 

Voted  unanimously,  that  agreeably  to  his  request,  we  dis- 
miss and  cordially  recommend  the  Rev.  Samuel  Ware,  as  an 
exemplary  Christian,  and  an  able,  judicious  and  faithful 
minister  of  the  gospel. 

During  Mr.  Ware's  ministry,  in  1815,  it  was  "  Voted  to 
call  this  branch  of  the  Church  Universal  in  Ware,  '  The 
Church  of  Christ  in  Ware.'  " 


REV.    AUGUSTUS    BROWN    REED    and 
his  wife  MRS.   MELINDA   BOR- 
DEN REED 

From  an  old  painting. 
Mr.  Reed  was  installed  in  the  First  Church 
July  10,  1826,  and  died  in  18SS.     Tfie  present 
parsonage  was  built  during  his  pastorate. 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  109 

The  same  Council  that,  at  his  own  request,  dismissed  Mr. 
Ware  in  1826,  ordained  as  his  successor  Mr.  Augustus  B. 
Reed.  The  invitation  to  Mr.  Reed  to  settle  in  Ware,  a  docu- 
ment of  very  considerable  length  signed  by  a  committee  of 
fifteen  members,  together  with  Mr.  Reed's  answer,  is  found 
in  the  Town  Records,  also  a  full  account  of  all  arrangements 
for  the  ordination,  together  with  a  list  of  fifteen  neighboring 
churches  invited  to  take  part  in  the  exercises.  This  is  the 
last  affair  of  the  kind  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  citizens 
assembled  in  town  meeting.  In  1833  the  State  Constitution 
was  altered,  separating  Church  and  State  and  making  the 
support  of  religion  voluntary. 

Mr.  Reed  was  a  native  of  Rehoboth,  and  graduate  of 
Brown  University.  Tradition  describes  him  as  a  man  of 
great  dignity  of  bearing.  He  continued  as  minister  of  the 
first  parish  until  June  5,  1838,  when  he  retired  on  account  of 
failing  health.  He  died  September  30  of  the  same  year,  aged 
nearly  40,  and  was  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  at  the  Centre. 
It  may  be  recalled  that  twenty  dollars  of  the  minister's 
salary  was  described  as  "annually  due  from  said  town  of 
Ware  to  the  minister."  This  was  the  income  from  the 
"Ministerial  fund,"  which  as  has  been  told,  came  to  the  town 
treasurer  for  investment  in  1789.  On  April  1,  1833,  a  com- 
mittee was  chosen  to  investigate  the  subject  of  the  fund, 
and  to  take  legal  advice  in  regard  to  it.  The  committee 
recommended  that  the  town  treasurer  give  a  note  for 
$333.33  in  behalf  of  the  town  to  the  deacons,  provided  the 
deacons  as  trustees  give  a  discharge  to  the  town  from  further 
claims.  The  recommendation  was  adopted,  and  the  follow- 
ing receipt  was  entered  upon  the  records : 

Received  of  Horace  Goodrich  Treasurer  of  the  Town  of 
Ware  $333.33  in  full  for  the  Glebe  lot  deeded  by  John  Read 
and  others  to  Jacob  Cummings  and  John  Davis  Deacons 
of  the  first  church  in  Ware  and  their  successors  in  office  as 
trustees,  which  lot  was  afterwards  appropriated  to  the  use 
of  the  Town  by  order  of  the  Legislature  and  in  April  1833 
reclaimed  by  the  said  Trustees. 

Eli  Snow 
Enos  Davis 
Ware,  Feb.  6,  1834. 


110  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  year  of  Mr.  Reed's  settlement  was  also  the  year  of  the 
formation  of  the  Second  Congregational  Society  in  the  east 
part  of  the  town  commonly  known  as  Ware  Factory  Village. 
From  this  time  the  strength  and  influence  of  the  First  Church 
begins  to  wane.  The  old  church  building  continued  to  be 
the  town-meeting  house  for  a  number  of  years,  but  even  that 
glory  was  to  depart  with  the  building  of  a  Town  Hall  at  the 
village  in  1847. 

Little  more  remains  to  be  told. 

The  Rev.  Harvey  Smith  served  the  church  from  1838  to 
1840. 

Rev.  William  E.  Dixon,  of  Enfield,  Conn.,  a  graduate  of 
Williams  College,  was  ordained  Jan.  14,  1841,  and  dis- 
missed May  26,  1842. 

Rev.  David  N.  Coburn,  from  Thompson,  Conn.,  a  grad- 
uate of  Amherst,  was  ordained  Sept.  21,  1842,  and  served 
until  April  17,  1854.  In  1843  the  church  building  was  re- 
modeled in  its  present  form. 

Rev.  Seth  W.  Banister  served  the  parish  from  May  23, 
1855  to  June  1,  1857. 

Rev.  Ariel  P.  Chute,  installed  Sept.  22,  1857,  served  until 
May  21,  1861. 

Rev.  Wm.  G.  Tuttle,  installed  Oct.  10,  1861,  served  until 
April  12,  1887.  During  this  pastorate,  —  the  longest  in  the 
history  of  the  church,  —  157  members  were  added. 

Rev.  Edward  S.  Huntress  began  his  pastorate  May  1, 
1888.    He  resigned  May  29,  1889. 

Rev.  Jasper  P.  Harvey  began  as  pastor  March  2,  1890, 
and  resigned  Jan.  3,  1896. 

Rev.  Edward  L.  Chute  began  service  April  4,  1896,  and 
closed  his  work  Nov.  25,  1906. 

Rev.  Fred  E.  Winn  became  pastor  Jan.  1,  1907,  remaining 
until  Sept.,  1909. 

Rev.  Roland  D.  Sawyer,  the  present  pastor,  began  his 
work  Dec.  1,  1909. 

A  few  words  regarding  the  music  of  the  church  may  be  of 
interest  to  some. 

March,  1785.  The  town  voted  "to  adopt  Dr.  Watts' 
Psalms  and  Hymns  to  be  sung  in  the  congregation.  Voted 
that  they  begin  next  Sabbath." 

Previous  to  this,  Tate  and  Brady  or  Sternhold  and  Hop- 
kins had  been  used.    The  change  was  made  during  the  re- 


PARISH  LIFE  AND  GROWTH  111 

vival  services  of  Rev.  Jeremiah  Hallock,  probably  through 
his  influence. 

The  whole  congregation  joined  in  the  singing,  the  deacon 
"lining  out"  the  psalm. 

March,  1790.  "Made  choice  of  Doctor  Rufus  King  & 
Solomon  Bush,  &  Mr.  George  Breakenridge,  Queristers  for 
the  year  Insuing." 

"Voted  that  the  Deacon  Read  one  Verse  or  more  at  a 
time  according  as  the  tune  may  Require." 

1796.  "Voted  to  allow  Silas.  Thompson  £3„17„6  for 
teaching  singing  school." 

Solomon  Howe,  "a  celebrated  teacher  of  music"  came  to 
Ware  in  1789  or  1790.  He  is  one  of  those  men  ordered  to 
leave  town  within  15  days  in  1790  (the  order  being  after- 
wards revoked),  and  is  described  as  "Solomon  Howe,  from 
the  County  of  Worcester,  Singing  master." 

1798.  John  Jenkins,  Dr.  King  and  George  Breakenridge 
were  elected  Queristers. 

Dec.  1799.  "Voted  the  contents  of  an  obligation  which 
the  town  holds  against  Solomon  Bush  be  appropriated  for 
a  singing  school."  A  Committee  was  appointed  to  hire  a 
singing-master  and  arrange  for  the  school. 

1800.  Solomon  Bush,  George  Brakenridge,  John  Jenkins, 
John  Gardner  and  John  Steel  were  elected  Queristers. 

1805.  "Voted  $50.00  for  singing  school,  which  is  to  be 
held  in  different  parts  of  the  town." 

1807.  "Voted  $4.00  toward  paying  Mr.  Silas  Thomson 
for  teaching  singing  school." 

1810.  "Voted  to  raise  $50.00  for  the  instruction  of 
singers." 

"That  those  who  belong  to  Mr.  Burt's  Society  ^  receive 
their  proper  proportion  of  said  $50.00." 

1814.  "Voted  $50.00  to  support  singing  in  the  meeting 
house." 

One  cannot  contemplate  without  emotion  the  changes 
that  have  passed  over  the  town  and  especially  the  First 
Parish;  its  small  beginnings  amid  a  poverty  that  was  pro- 
verbial, its  growth  in  strength  and  numbers  through  almost 
a  hundred  years,  an  increase  such  that  the  last  minister  called 
before  the  division  exclaimed  in  words  of  Scripture  on  accept- 
ing the  call,  "  Who  is  suflBcient  for  these  things !  "    and  finally 

*  The  Baptist  Society  just  over  the  line  in  Hardwick. 


112  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

its  decay,  none  the  less  tragic  because  inevitable.  The  old 
church  stands  today  in  its  smiling  valley,  peaceful  as  the 
green  fields  that  surround  it,  a  landmark,  witnessing  to  a 
period  that  never  can  be  revived  when  coaches  daily  passed 
its  doors,  and  the  militia  trained  in  its  shadow,  and  it  was  in 
every  sense  the  centre  of  life  for  the  community.  In  the 
church-yard  sleep  a  great  multitude  who  knew  and  loved 
the  church  as  their  spiritual  home,  and  for  it  made  sacrifices 
that  we  can  scarcely  appreciate 

A  new  generation,  almost  wholly  of  alien  parentage,  fills 
our  streets  today.  But  the  thoughtful  among  them,  what- 
ever their  religious  affiliation,  cannot  but  feel  respect  and 
honor  for  the  Mother  Church  of  their  adopted  town. 


VI 

Secular  Matters 

It  has  been  seen  that  Ware  was  created  a  parish  and  pre- 
cinct on  Dec.  7,  1742.  This  meant  independence  in  reli- 
gious affairs  only,  though  the  inhabitants  of  the  parish  were 
permitted  to  choose  such  local  officers  as  fence-viewers, 
highway  surveyors,  hog-reeves  and  tything  men,  besides 
the  necessary  assessors,  collectors  and  committees  for  parish 
and  precinct  expenses.  The  people,  however,  were  still 
under  the  selectmen  and  constables  of  the  town  to  which 
they  belonged. 

A  misunderstanding  in  regard  to  the  parish  limits  was  set 
right  by  the  General  Court,  and  the  parish  given  definite 
bounds  in  1750.  But  our  inhabitants  were  not  satisfied  for 
long  with  district  and  parochial  rights  only.  They  desired 
full  independence  in  all  local  matters  as  soon  as  they  felt 
themselves  strong  and  numerous  enough.  The  warrant 
issued  Feb.  6,  1761,  for  a  meeting  to  be  held  March  9, 
following,  contained  the  following  article:  *'To  see  what 
Corse  you  will  take  in  if  you  will  agree  to  git  town  priva- 
leages;  "  and  at  the  meeting  held  March  9,  they  "Voted 
to  Send  A  Petition  to  the  General  Cort  to  see  if  they  will 
Allow  us  Town  Privaliges,  and  Jos.  Foster  to  see  that  it  is 
Dun."  Later,  at  a  meeting  held  Oct.  2,  of  the  same  year, 
"Voted  to  Allow  to  Joseph  Foster  for  gitting  the  Parish 
set  off  as  a  town,  one  pound  Eight  Shillings  and  Eight 
pence;  "  "Voted  to  grant  one  pound  Sixteen  Shillings  & 
Eight  pence  for  further  Charges  in  giting  the  parish  sot  of 
as  a  Town." 

Among  the  State  Archives  we  find  the  following  con- 
cerning the  erecting  of  Ware  into  a  District  ^  under  date  oi 
June  2,  1761: 

»  General  Court  Records,  Vol.  XXIV,  p.  16. 


114  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

A  Petition  of  Joseph  Foster  Agent  for  the  Inhabitants 
of  Ware  River  Parish  Praying  they  may  be  invested  with 
the  Priviledges  of  a  Town  or  District. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives;  Ordered  that  the  Pe- 
titioner notify  the  nonresident  Proprietors  of  the  Lands  in 
said  Parish  with  a  copy  of  this  Petition  together  with  this 
order  by  inserting  the  substance  thereof  in  one  of  the  Boston 
news  Papers  three  weeks  successively  that  so  they  shew 
cause  if  any  they  have,  on  the  first  Thursday  of  the  next 
sitting  of  this  Court  why  the  Prayer  thereof  should  not  be 
granted. 

Also,  under  date  of  Nov.  17,  1761 :  ^ 

A  petition  of  Joseph  Foster  Praying  as  entered  2nd  June 
last.  In  Council  Read  again  and  it  appearing  that  the 
Petitioners  had  pursued  the  orders  of  Court  with  regard  to 
Notification.  Ordered  that  the  Petitioners  have  liberty  to 
bring  in  a  Bill  for  erecting  the  Parish  of  Ware  River  into  a 
District. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  Read  and  Concurred. 

Herewith  is  given  the  act  itself  ^  for  erecting  Ware  River 
Parish,  so  called,  in  the  County  of  Hampshire,  into  a  District 
by  the  name  of  Ware. 

Whereas  the  inhabitants  of  Ware  River  Parish,  so  called, 
in  the  County  of  Hampshire,  have  represented  to  this  Court 
the  great  difficulties  and  the  inconveniences  they  labor 
under,  in  their  present  situation,  and  have  earnestly  re- 
quested that  they  may  be  incorporated  into  a  District,  —  Be 
it  therefore  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council  &  House  of 
Representatives,  — 

(Sec.  I)  That  the  said  Ware-River  Parish,  so  called, 
bounded  as  follows;  vizt.  Southerly,  upon  Palmer,  including 
that  tract  of  land  in  said  Palmer  which  is  the  property  of 
the  heirs  of  Isaac  Magoon,  deceased;  easterly,  upon  West- 
ern &  Brookfield;  northerly,  upon  Hard  wick  &  Greenwich; 
&  westerly,  upon  Swift  River,  be  &  is  hereby  incorporated 
into  a  District  by  the  name  of  Ware;  and  that  the  said  Dis- 
strict  be  &  hereby  is  invested  with  all  the  privileges,  powers 
&  immunities  that  Towns  in  this  Province,  by  law,  do  or 

»  General  Court  Records.  Vol.  XXIV.  p.  109. 

*  Acts  and  Resolves  of  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  Vol.  IV,  p.  86. 


SECULAR  MATTERS  115 

may  enjoy,  that  of  sending  a  representative  to  the  General 
Assembly  only  excepted. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  — 

(Sec.  II)  That  Eleazer  Porter,  Esq'  be  &  hereby  is  di- 
rected &  impowered  to  issue  his  warrant,  directed  to  some 
principal  inhabitant  within  said  District,  requiring  him  to 
warn  the  inhabitants  of  said  District,  qualified  to  vote  in 
Town  affairs,  to  assemble  at  some  suitable  time  &  place  in 
said  District,  to  choose  such  officers  as  are  necessary  to 
manage  the  affairs  of  said  District. 

Provided,  nevertheless,  — 

(Sec.  Ill)  The  Inhabitants  of  said  District  of  Ware  shall 
pay  their  proportionable  part  of  all  such  Town,  County  & 
Province  charges  as  are  already  assessed,  in  like  manner  as 
though  this  act  had  not  been  made;  and  that  part  of  the 
Province  tax  which  is  the  proportion  of  the  said  Magoon's 
farm,^  shall  hereafter  be  abated  the  district  of  Palmer,  and 
be  borne  &  paid  by  the  said  District  of  Ware.  (Passed 
November  25;  Published  Nov.  28)  (note)  signed  Nov.  28th 
according  to  the  record. 

Thus  Nov.  28,  1761,  is  the  date  of  the  incorporation  of 
Ware.  It  is  called  a  "District  "  rather  than  a  Town;  the 
only  difference  between  the  two  being  that  a  Town  possessed 
the  right  of  sending  a  representative  to  the  General  Court 
while  a  District  did  not. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,  Aug.  23,  1775,  an 
omnibus  act  of  the  General  Court  admitted  Ware,  together 
with  many  other  districts,  to  full  town  standing.  The 
clause  of  the  act  referred  to  is  as  follows: 

And  be  it  further  Enacted  and  Declared  by  the  author- 
ity aforesaid,  That  every  Corporate  Body  in  this  Colony, 
which  in  the  act  for  the  Incorporation  thereof,  is  said  and  de- 
clared to  be  made  a  District  and  has  by  such  act  granted  to 
it,  or  is  declared  to  be  vested  with  the  Rights,  Powers, 
Privileges  or  Immunities  of  a  Town,  with  the  Exception 
above  mentioned,  of  chusing  and  sending  a  representative 
to  the  Great  and  General  Court  or  Assembly,  shall  hereafter 
be  holden,  taken,  and  intended  to  be  a  Town  to  all  Intents 
and  Purposes  whatsoever. 

1  The  Magoon  tract  was  set  off  to  Ware  from  Palmer  in  this  same  year,  and  that 
ia  what  is  referred  to  above. 


116  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

A  study  of  the  early  records  of  the  town  throws  much 
light  upon  conditions  of  life  and  the  interests  of  the  people. 
Religion  evidently  stood  first  in  importance,  and  the  meet- 
ing-house was  the  centre  of  the  town  in  more  senses  than  one. 
Here  not  only  religious  meetings  were  held,  but  public  meet- 
ings of  all  sorts.  It  was  the  Town  House,  built  by  and  for 
the  people.  At  times  it  was  in  demand  for  secular  meetings 
nearly  as  often  as  for  religious.  The  number  of  town  meet- 
ings held  in  a  year  was  astonishing,  no  less  than  seventeen 
meetings  and  adjourned  meetings  being  recorded  for  a  single 
twelve  months.  The  occasions  were  evidently  regarded  as 
public  holidays,  and  broke  the  monotony  of  an  isolated 
existence.  Temporary  adjournments  were  made  to  the 
neighboring  tavern,  or  to  the  home  of  some  accommodating 
citizen,  where  a  barrel  of  cider  or  a  keg  of  apple  jack  gave 
welcome  refreshment  in  the  midst  of  the  toils  of  settling 
knotty  problems  in  regard  to  abatement  of  taxes,  redemp- 
tion of  counterfeit  bills,  providing  for  the  poor,  or  repairing 
the  meeting-house.  With  such  interruptions  the  meetings 
were  sometimes  rather  protracted.  A  former  generation 
enjoyed  many  a  laugh  at  the  expense  of  a  group  of  citizens 
dwelling  in  the  east  part  of  the  town  who  returned  to  their 
homes  late  one  night  with  the  report  that  the  spring  freshets 
had  carried  out  the  bridge  over  Muddy  Brook.  They  had 
forded  the  stream  after  fruitless  search  for  the  accustomed 
crossing-place.  The  morning  light,  however,  revealed  the 
bridge  still  standing  in  its  accustomed  location. 

The  inns  figured  largely  in  the  early  life  of  the  town.  John 
Downing  was  licensed  as  an  innholder  in  1754,^  and  from 
that  time  continued  to  dispense  hospitality  for  thirty-one 
years  at  his  tavern  on  the  bluff  just  beyond  where  West  Street 
crosses  Muddy  Brook.  Downing's  was  a  famous  tavern  in 
its  day.  It  is  mentioned  in  many  annual  issues  of  Low's 
Almanac  as  the  stopping-place  in  Ware  for  stages  plying  be- 
tween Boston  and  Albany.^    In  1763  Jonathan  Rogers  also 

*  Court  Records,  Northampton. 

*  John  Downing  died  in  1791.  His  widow  survived  him  many  years.  She  farmed 
the  poor,  as  is  learned  from  frequent  payments  by  the  Selectmen,  thus  making  a 
livelihood.  She  is  constantly  referred  to  as  the  Widow  Downing  in  the  records, 
but  was  popularly  known  as  "Old  Granny  Downing."  The  following  story  was 
current  seventy-five  years  ago. 

After  the  death  of  the  widow  the  house  fell  into  decay.    One  day  a  party  of 


THE  GOULD  TAVERN  AT 
WARE  CENTRE 


REV.  EZRA   THAYER'S  HOUSE 

Built  soon  after  1759.  It  was  bought  by 
Deacon  William  Paige  in  1777,  and  7cas 
known  for  years  as  the  Paige  Tavern.  It 
stands  on  the  south  side  qf  the  road,  about  half 
a  mile  west  of  the  Centre. 


SECULAR  ]VL\TTERS  117 

was  licensed.  His  tavern  was  in  the  south  part  of  the  town, 
and  the  house  is  said  to  have  been  located  on  the  Palmer 
Road  a  short  distance  below  the  Golf  Club  House,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street.  His  license  was  recorded  last 
in  1796,  giving  him  a  period  of  thirty-three  years  as  inn- 
holder.  The  County  Road  Commissioners  made  this  house 
their  headquarters  in  1769. 

Downing  and  Rogers  are  mentioned  in  the  almanacs. 
That  of  Nathaniel  Ames  first  mentions  Rogers'  tavern  in 
1765.  In  1706  he  gives  Downing  and  Rogers,  "on  the  upper 
Post  Road  to  Brookfield."  For  twenty  years  these  two 
names  appear.  Bickerstaff's  Boston  Almanac  also  mentions 
them. 

These  are  the  only  licensed  inns  recorded  in  pre-Revolu- 
tionary  times  —  so  far  as  the  Court  Records  show  us  the 
situation. 

"\Miile  the  Revolution  was  at  its  height,  in  1778,  three  new 
innholders  appear  upon  the  scene;  Ebenezer  Nye,  James 
Lammon  and  Joseph  Patterson.  Patterson's  license  is 
recorded  for  but  a  single  year.  That  he  v^^as  longer  in  the 
business,  however,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  his  inn  is  men- 
tioned in  Ames'  Almanac  for  the  year  1774  and  1775  as  on 
the  road  from  Northampton  to  Boston.  His  place  cannot 
be  located  with  absolute  certainty,  but  probably  stood  on  a 
part  of  the  old  Hadley  Road  long  since  discontinued,  about 
half  a  mile  north  of  the  Babcock  Tavern.  Patterson  pur- 
chased a  place  in  that  locality  in  1769,  holding  it  until  the 
foreclosure  of  a  mortgage  in  1782.  Lammon  was  licensed 
six  years  in  succession.  As  his  farm  was  on  the  Boston 
Post  Road  west  of  the  schoolhouse  in  District  No.  3,  it  is 
reasonable  to  locate  his  tavern  in  that  quarter.  The  farm 
remained  in  the  Lemon  family  until  recent  times. 

Ebenezer  Nye's  tavern  is  no  less  famous  than  John 
Downing's.  His  license  ran  from  1778  to  1788,  omitting 
'83  and  '86,  and  is  again  recorded  in  1791.^    It  was  to  his 

young  men  who  had  been  hunting  were  overtaken  by  a  thunderstorm  when  near 
the  house,  and  ran  to  it  for  shelter.  Oue  of  the  boys  stepped  up  to  the  bar,  which 
stood  in  the  great  living-room,  and  rapping  loudly  upon  it  cried,  "  Granny  Down- 
ing, bring  us  out  a  hot  toddy."  Instantly  there  was  such  a  rattling  of  toddy- 
sticks  that  the  whole  party  took  to  their  heels,  preferring  rain  to  ghosts. 
^  It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  the  County  Records  are  complete. 


118  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

tavern  that  town  meetings  were  frequently  adjourned; 
sometimes,  as  in  1789,  for  fifteen  minutes,  more  often  for  the 
remainder  of  the  session.  Nye's  tavern  stood  on  what,  in 
his  day,  was  the  main  road  from  the  meeting-house  to  Brook- 
field  and  New  Braintree,  a  little  below  "Crowell's  orchard,"  * 
near  where  Miss  M.  R.  Howard  now  lives.  A  still,  the  foun- 
dation stones  of  which  are  yet  to  be  seen,  stood  opposite  on 
the  north  side  of  the  road.  Nye  owned  a  farm  of  about  200 
acres  extending  easterly  from  Flat  Brook. 

He  was  elected  pound-keeper  in  1781,  the  pound  adjoin- 
ing his  land. 

Isaac  Pepper  was  licensed  as  retailer  from  1781  to  1804. 
His  house  now  forms  the  back  part  of  the  Gould  Tavern. 
Pepper  put  up  the  frame  of  the  main  part,  but  never  finished 
it.  Capt.  James  Cargill  is  said  to  have  bought  the  place 
and  completed  the  house.  John  Osborne  kept  tavern  here 
before  the  property  went  to  Seth  Gould  about  1825. 

The  w'ood-colored  house  on  the  corner  by  Flat  Brook  is 
still  sometimes  referred  to  as  the  Crow^ell  Tavern.  Joshua 
Crowell  -  held  an  innkeeper's  license  from  1811  to  1817,  and 
a  retailer's  license  to  the  end  of  1827.  John  Shaw  dispensed 
hospitality  in  this  tavern  a  good  many  years  before  Crowell 
bought  the  place. 

The  year  1782  shows  no  less  than  eight  taverns  within 
the  town  limits;  the  four  already  mentioned,  and  one  kept 
by  John  Quinton,  one  by  Lott  Whitcomb,  one  by  John 
Bullen,  and  one  by  Phille  Morse. 

The  Quinton  or  Quentin  farm  was  west  of  Beaver  Lake, 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  tavern  was  near  where  the  road 
from  the  Centre  entered  the  Turnpike.  John  Quinton  was 
followed  by  Thomas  Quinton,  the  two  men  covering  the 
period  from  1782  to  1800. 

John  Bullen,  on  the  Turnpike,  and  Lott  Whitcomb  figured 

•  Some  manuscript  notes  of  the  late  Miss  Cornelia  Gould  have  helped  in  deter- 
mining the  location  of  this  most  interesting  tavern. 

'  In  \Hli  Joshua  Crowell  received  an  order  for  $1.85  from  the  Selectmen  "for 
spirits  for  .\seneth  Winslow's  infant."  One  of  the  choice  bits  of  tradition  to  shock 
modern  sensibilities  relates  how  "Priest,"  Ware's  chore-boy,  used  to  go  down  to 
the  store  of  Joshua  Crowell,  our  pioneer  Methodist  preacher,  with  two  jugs,  one 
for  molasses,  the  other  for  rum.  Storekeepers  were  not  allowed  to  sell  liquor  to 
be  consumed  on  the  premises.  Now  it  ha[)pened  that  Joshua  Crowells  store  en- 
cnjached  on  the  Common,  so  when  Crowi-ll  held  only  the  retailer's  license,  thirsty 
patroQii  ubcd  to  buy  their  rum,  and  driuk  it  in  the  corner  that  stood  on  town  laud. 


Mo  aAi  >■ 

.'h^TOMA^ri 

.    .•■..\     ,\,^  ,UiHi.\'> 

nt^^:n\V\    b*' 

■.\,,->'HVi\\  ^'Si\, 

TOO  Aom 

Mi     ->\v),iV',  1 

,-„    ,.„          \   '^A-Y  ^ 

aM     \Vi     T 

.nUMO'\\i'>'^'                             ^^^"^ 

i\voovc\vi\ 

0     -sM     i)»j-\3i.5\*     M.'i      -••><  aVi.'* 

-,»A\   5r>tt»    ^ 

■\m\[  V^ttiCAV  hA^  Avvsc^ivooo 

,    •        "                 M'm\ 

THE  BABCOCK   TAVERN 

Before  its  alteration  in  1890.  When  the  old 
chimney,  twelve  by  fourteen  feet,  rvas  removed, 
five  Hibernian  coppers  were  found,  one  under 
each  corner  and  one  under  the  centre. 

The  Post  Office  occupied  the  projection  in 
the  middle  foreground,  and  the  door  at  the 
extreme  left  entered  the  bar.  The  tap-room 
occupied  the  ground  floor  of  the  L  and  the 
ball-room  the  floor  above. 


SECULAR  MATTERS  119 

as  tavern  keepers  but  a  short  time.  Phille  Morse  was  licensed 
but  two  years.  His  house  was  on  the  Brookfield  road,  just 
south  of  Howard's  Grist-Mill.  Phille  Morse  owned  a  large 
apple  orchard  on  the  slope  of  Coy's  Hill.  It  is  said  that  he 
brought  the  young  trees  from  Rochester,  New  York,  on 
horseback.  Fifty  to  a  hundred  casks  of  cider  a  year  were 
made  from  the  orchard  when  in  its  prime. 

The  next  innholder  of  importance  was  Joseph  Cummings, 
who  had  a  license  from  1785  to  1792  inclusive.  Cummings 
appears  in  1784  as  a  retailer  "to  sell  at  retail  out  of  his  house 
there  to  be  spent  out  of  doors  only." 

Mr.  Benjamin  Cummings,  who  died  in  1876  in  his  100th 
year,  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Cummings.  In  a  page  of  recol- 
lections taken  down  by  the  late  Dr.  Yale  we  read  that  "Mr. 
Cummings'  father  kept  the  only  store  at  Ware  in  his  house, 
near  a  large  tree  between  the  houses  of  Lewis  N.  Gilbert  and 
J.  Beaman,  and  sold  coffee,  tea,  molasses,  rum  and  sugar. 
His  mother,  whose  name  was  Temperance,  did  the  retailing 
mostly,  excepting  when  considerable  rum  was  to  be  drawn, 
when  Ben  was  sent  up  from  the  field  to  help  her." 

Samuel  Patrick  and  Deacon  William  Paige  received 
licenses  in  1791,  and  John  Shaw  in  1794.  They  continued 
in  the  business  for  varying  periods. 

Paige's  tavern  was  at  the  Holbrook  place,  now  known  as 
the  Buffington  place,  nearly  a  mile  west  of  the  meeting- 
house. Mr.  Hyde  in  his  Address  says  that  this  was  the  house 
formerly  occupied  by  the  Rev.  Ezra  Thayer.  Here  in  1787 
the  Ecclesiastical  Council  that  dismissed  the  Rev.  Benjamin 
Judd  was  entertained;  said  Council  consuming  six  gallons 
of  rum  at  the  town  charge. 

William  Doane  secured  a  license  for  the  single  year  1800, 
and  Isaac  Magoon,  2nd,  for  1801.  Joshua  McMaster,  Lott 
Dean  and  Royal  Tyler  all  tried  at  innkeeping  for  short 
periods. 

Archibald  Babcock  first  comes  before  us  as  innholder  in 
1807,  remaining  in  the  business  twenty  years.  The  Bab- 
cock Tavern  is  one  of  the  landmarks  of  the  town.  Here  the 
first  post-oflSce  was  established,  in  the  year  1815,  and 
Timothy  Babcock  was  appointed  postmaster.  The  Bab- 
cock Tavern,  and  the  Gould  Tavern  at  Ware  Centre,  mark 


120  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

the  transition  from  ancient  to  modem  conditions.  Seth 
Gould  kept  the  inn  just  west  of  the  meeting-house  the 
second  and  third  quarters  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

But  conditions  were  changing.  As  the  village  grew  in 
importance  the  Centre  waned.  Ware  was  ceasing  to  be  a 
merely  agricultural  community.  Then  the  building  of 
railroads  robbed  the  country  tavern  of  its  chief  useful- 
ness. And  the  habits  of  the  people  were  changing  too.  It  is 
remembered  by  one  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  that  when 
Seth  Gould  gave  up  tavern-keeping  he  declared  that  "cold 
water  had  killed  him."  ^ 

Alpheus  Demond  (of  Muddy  Brook  fame)  in  1814  built 
the  "Old  Tavern  House  "  in  the  village  where  Hitchcock's 
Block  now  stands. 

Here-  it  was  that  Lafayette  visited,  and  Mrs.  Cynthia 
Loomis,  now  living  on  Bank  St.,  and  her  sister,  Mrs.  Elmira 
Whittaker,  who  resides  on  Palmer  Road,  were  among  those 
who  met  him  and  took  him  by  the  hand.  Mrs.  Loomis  is 
now  86  years  old,  but  she  retains  all  her  mental  activity, 
and  tells  of  Lafayette's  visit,  and  of  her  meeting  with  him 
with  evident  pleasure.  She  recalls  the  fact  that  at  the  time 
he  took  her  hand,  he  said  to  her  and  her  companions,  "  I  re- 
joice to  see  you,  my  children,  enjoying  the  liberty  for  which 
we  fought." 

At  this  time  there  were  about  1600  inhabitants  in  the 
town.  There  were  no  buildings  on  the  south  side  of  Main 
Street,  but  only  a  greensward.  The  men  of  the  town  stood 
in  line,  and  after  the  general  had  met  the  ladies  at  the  tav- 
ern, he  came  across  the  street  and  shook  hands  with  the 
men.  He  is  described  as  a  man  of  commanding  presence, 
with  fine  features.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  son,  and 
after  the  ceremony  was  over  took  his  carriage  and  drove 
out  of  town,  being  accompanied  as  far  as  the  home  of  Cal- 
vin Morse  by  the  townspeople,  walking  Indian  file  on  either 
side  of  the  carriage,  the  women  on  one  side  and  the  men  on 
the  other,  he  bowing  to  right  and  left  in  recognition  of  the 
plaudits  of  the  crowd. 

'  I  have  before  me  the  pledge  book  of  the  "Cold  Water  Army  of  Ware,  1843." 
It  contains  the  names  of  171  males  and  233  females.    The  motto  is  this, 
"  So  here  we  pledge  perpetual  hate. 
To  all  that  can  intoxicate." 
From  ao  article  in  the  Ware  River  News,  March  27,  1890. 


SECULAR  MATTERS  121 

The  Ware  Hotel,  built  in  1825,  stood  at  the  comer  of  Main 
and  North  Streets,  North  Street  at  that  time  being  called 
West  Street,  as  it  bounded  the  western  limits  of  the  village. 
It  was  known  as  the  Phelps  Hotel  in  1854.  This  hotel  was 
burned  in  1864.  Then  came  the  Delavan  House,  which  with 
its  stables  occupied  the  space  where  the  Mansion  House 
now  stands. 

As  has  been  seen,  much  of  the  life  of  the  town  centred 
about  the  inns.  Illustrious  travellers  from  time  to  time 
passed  through  on  the  coaches,  stopping  for  a  meal,  or  a 
night's  lodging,  at  which  times  a  fat  fowl  was  quickly  dressed 
and  roasted  on  the  spit  before  the  great  open  fire,  and  the 
best  linen  sheets  were  spread  upon  the  four-post  bedsteads.^ 
President  Dwight  of  Yale  College  passed  through  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  town  by  the  Boston  Post  Road  in  1810. 
He  wrote  in  his  diary:  "Ware  borders  on  Belchertown 
south-eastward.  Its  soil  is  generally  of  a  very  inferior  qual- 
ity. A  traveller  formerly  passing  through  this  town  ob- 
served, that  he  thought  the  land  was  like  self-righteousness; 
for  the  more  he  had  of  it,  the  poorer  he  would  be." 

An  abundance  of  servants  and  retainers  were  found  about 
the  tavern  and  its  stables.  When  the  town  poor  were  auc- 
tioned off  to  the  lowest  bidder  we  find  the  innkeepers  ready 
to  take  them  at  very  low  prices,  the  custom  of  the  time 
being  to  get  as  much  work  out  of  the  paupers  as  possible  to 
eke  out  the  small  allowance  made  by  the  town  for  their 
support.  An  indefinite  number  of  persons,  old  and  young, 
could  be  kept  busy  holding  horses,  turning  spits,  caring  for 
chickens,  waiting  upon  travellers,  and  doing  chores  for 
master  and  mistress,  for  cook  and  for  stableman. 

Great  coaches  drawn  by  four  or  even  six  horses  passed 
daily  along  the  main  thoroughfares  of  the  town.  The  extent 
and  importance  of  the  traffic  explains  a  fact  remarkable  to 
us  of  today,  namely,  that  many  principal  roads  are  recorded 
as  being  laid  out  no  less  than  eight  or  ten  rods  wide.  Some 
important  roads  were  built  and  kept  in  repair  by  private 
capital.  The  Petersham  and  Monson  Corporation  built  a 
road  from  Athol  through  Petersham,  Dana,  Greenwich, 
W^are  and  Palmer  to  Monson.      This  road  leads  through 

^  The  inventories  of  innkeepers  list  separately  the  linen  and  cotton  sheets. 


122  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

the  Beaver  Brook  Valley,  passing  the  Babcock  Tavern,  and 
one  or  two  others  already  mentioned,  and  is  still  known  as 
"The  Turnpike."  The  provisions  of  one  of  the  old  charters 
may  be  of  interest: 

The  said  corporation  may  and  shall  be  authorized  to 
erect  five  turnpike  gates  on  the  same  and  shall  be  entitled 
to  receive  of  each  traveller  or  passenger,  at  each  of  said 
gates,  the  following  rates  of  toll,  viz.:  for  every  coach, 
phaeton,  chariot  or  other  four  wheel  carriage  drawn  by 
two  horses  25  cents,  and  if  drawn  by  more  than  two  horses 
an  additional  sum  of  4  cents  for  each  horse:  for  every  cart 
or  wagon  drawn  by  two  oxen  or  horses  12|  cents  and  if 
drawn  by  more  than  two  oxen  or  horses  an  additional  sum 
of  three  cents  for  each  horse  or  ox:  for  every  curricle  16 
cents :  for  every  chaise  chair  or  other  carriage  drawn  by  one 
horse  122  cents:  for  every  man  and  horse  5  cents:  for  all 
horses,  mules,  oxen  or  neat  cattle  led  or  driven,  besides  those 
in  teams  or  carriages  1  cent  each:  for  all  sheep  or  swine  at 
the  rate  of  3  cents  for  one  dozen.  Provided,  that  nothing 
within  this  act  shall  extend  to  entitle  the  said  corporation 
to  demand  or  receive  toll  of  any  person  who  shall  be  passing 
with  his  horse  or  carriage  to  or  from  public  worship,  or  with 
his  horse,  team  or  cattle,  to  or  from  his  common  labor  or  to 
or  from  any  mill,  or  on  the  common  or  ordinary  business  of 
his  family  concerns  within  the  said  town,  or  from  any 
person  or  persons  passing  on  military  duty. 

The  stage  not  only  carried  passengers,  but  considerable 
quantities  of  freight  as  well.  The  drivers  acted  as  agents 
in  trade,  carrying  country  products,  cheese,  butter,  eggs, 
hides,  wool  and  tobacco  to  the  city,  bringing  back  tea  and 
coffee,  rum,  molasses,  dried  codfish,  salt,  calico,  pins  and 
needles  in  exchange.  Every  person  raised  sheep  in  the  early 
days,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  old  wills  and  inventories.  To- 
bacco was  grown  in  the  Connecticut  Valley  as  at  present. 
Many  of  the  stage  drivers  were  famous  characters,  and  the 
names  of  a  few  who  journeyed  through  Ware  have  come 
down  to  us.  There  were  Sam  and  Bill  Gould,  George  War- 
ner, George  Sedgwick,  Art  Hyde  and  Major  Morgan. 

The  heavier  and  more  bulky  freight  was  transferred  in 
teams,  many  of  our  men  being  accustomed  to  make  one  or 
two  journeys  to  Boston  each  year  on  their  own  account, 


SECULAR  MATTERS  123 

with  loads  of  charcoal,  potash  and  other  commodities. 
It  cost  twenty  dollars  a  ton  for  transportation  of  goods 
from  Boston,  and  it  was  a  hard  week's  work  for  a  team  to 
go  and  return. 1 

Naturally  there  were  but  few  stores  in  town.  The  one 
kept  by  Joseph  Cummings  just  after  the  Revolution  has 
been  mentioned.  A  deed  of  a  parcel  of  land  at  the  Centre 
south  of  the  county  road  and  close  by  Rev.  Reuben  Moss's 
east  line,  dated  1799,  makes  mention  of  "a  store  and  barn 
where  Capt.  Deane  now  trades."  This  was  undoubtedly 
the  store  of  Lott  Dean,  of  which  traditions  have  survived. 

In  1812  an  order  by  the  Selectmen  for  goods  mentions 
"Mr.  Snow's  store."  This  was  the  store  of  Eli  Snow,  who 
"retailed  "  at  the  Centre  from  1811  to  1826. 

The  care  and  support  of  the  poor  was  always  a  matter  of 
concern  to  our  town.  A  study  of  this  subject  corroborates 
the  opinion  universally  held,  that  the  citizens  were  indeed 
extremely  poor,  oftentimes  unable  to  supply  those  nearest 
to  them  with  bare  food.  The  assistance  of  such  first  comes 
before  the  precinct  in  1762,  when  the  matter  is  brought  up 
for  consideration.  It  was  decided  and  ordered  that  Jacob 
Hinds  and  his  wife  be  kept  at  work  and  provided  for,  thus 
following  the  precept  of  Scripture.  At  the  same  time  the 
Widow  Pike  is  allowed  a  bushel  of  corn  a  month  for  keeping 
her  mother.  At  the  same  time  the  Widow  Carley,  one  of 
the  original  members  of  the  church,  becomes  a  public  charge, 
and  a  couple  of  orphan  children  receive  allowances  for  cloth- 
ing and  "doctoring." 

For  twenty-five  years  the  poor  are  cared  for  with  due  re- 
spect for  their  feelings.  Arrangements  for  their  support 
were  made  by  the  selectmen  at  a  reasonable  rate,  while 
special  nursing  and  doctoring  in  case  of  illness  were  held  to 
be  extras.  The  bills  were  brought  before  the  town  and  set- 
tled without  comment,  and  occasionally  there  is  a  charge 
for  clothing  or  shoes.  At  the  same  time  measures  were  taken 
to  prevent  paupers,  or  persons  likely  to  become  paupers,  be- 
longing to  other  towns,  from  settling  here,  and  more  than 
once  such  persons  are  warned  out,  or  removed  bodily,  the 
constable  receiving  a  small  sum  for  performing  the  service. 

»  Hyde,  "  Historical  Address." 


124  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

By  the  close  of  the  Revolution  the  number  of  persons  un- 
able to  support  themselves  had  greatly  increased,  and  that 
together  with  the  extreme  hardness  of  the  times  prompted 
a  new  departure,  which  hitherto  had  not  been  deemed 
necessary.  The  poor  were  put  up  at  auction  to  the  lowest 
bidder.  This  custom,  adhered  to  for  many  years,  created 
one  of  the  most  pathetic  chapters  of  our  history.  One 
hardly  needs  to  read  between  the  lines  of  the  Town  Records 
to  appreciate  the  tragedy  of  the  poor  and  the  aged,  in  broken 
health,  "vendued  "  year  after  year,  moving  from  house  to 
house,  waiting  for  death  to  release  them. 

"Old  Patrill  "  goes  at  five  shillings  a  week;  ^  the  Patrill 
boj'  at  two.  Doubtless  he  was  a  promising  lad,  and  handy 
at  the  chores.  Then  up  goes  Rebekah  Allen.  James  Lam- 
mon  bids  her  off  at  one  and  nine  pence  a  week.  Lammon 
kept  an  inn  where  there  was  plenty  that  Rebekah  could  do, 
and  plenty  of  scraps.  It  was  Lammon  who  had  bid  off  old 
Patrill  and  the  boy.  But  Rebekah  did  not  find  hotel  life  to 
her  taste,  and  made  some  other  arrangement,  the  town 
at  a  later  meeting  voting  the  thrifty  innholder  six  shillings 
for  his  disappointment.  Rebekah's  arrangements,  how- 
ever, lasted  less  than  a  year,  and  she  is  put  up  again,  this 
time  bid  off  by  Ebenezer  Nye  for  two  shillings  eleven  pence 
a  week.  So  she  had  to  live  at  a  hotel  after  all.  Old  Patrill 
goes  to  Phille  Morse  at  four  shillings.  Apparently  the 
Patrills  were  an  unfortunate  lot,  for  in  1790  Lois,  only  19 
years  old,  and  her  baby,  are  cried  at  the  town  meeting. 
James  Brackenridge  bids  the  pair  off  at  a  penny  a  week  — 
exclusive  of  clothing  and  doctoring.  It  was  evidently  a  char- 
ity on  Brackenridge's  part  which  he  could  not  continue  in- 
definitely, for  he  only  keeps  them  the  stipulated  six  months, 
after  which  poor  Lois's  price  goes  higher.  In  1792  the 
Selectmen's  books  show  charges  for  keeping  Lois,  for  nurs- 
ing the  child,  and  "one  order  to  James  Brackenridge  for 
makeing  a  coffen  —  3  shillings." 

The  other  Patrill  children  (there  were  several  of  them) 

*  An  amusing  document  in  the  State  Archives  is  a  petition  of  the  Town  of 
Ware,  dated  1788,  to  be  relieved  of  Joseph  Patrill.  He  is  described  as  a  native  of 
the  Island  of  Guernsey,  who  settled  in  Ware  without  the  consent  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. He  was  never  a  citizen  of  the  town,  never  paid  taxes  nor  owned  property, 
arid  had  always  been  an  object  of  public  and  private  charity.  The  State  de- 
clined to  relieve  the  town. 


SECULAR  MATTERS  125 

were  bid  off  year  by  year  at  diminishing  prices  until  they 
were  old  enough  to  look  after  themselves. 

These  are  but  examples.  The  list  of  those  obliged  to  ask 
assistance  at  some  time  is  long,  and  includes  names  that 
stood  high  in  the  community.  My  impression  is  that  the 
town  provided  as  generously  as  it  was  able  for  the  needy. 
It  was  a  period  when  no  one  had  too  much,  and  it  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  keep  expenses  down.  In  1784,  when  the 
problem  was  becoming  serious,  the  town  voted  to  build  a 
work-house;  but  the  intention  was  not  carried  out.  In 
1790  the  Selectmen  issued  a  warrant  to  Jacob  Pepper  direct- 
ing him  to  warn  out  of  town  fifty-one  persons,  mostly  hus- 
bandmen, laborers,  blacksmiths  and  cordwinders.^  The 
order  was  for  those  persons  "who  have  come  into  this  town 
for  the  purpose  of  abiding  therein  not  having  the  town's 
consent,  to  depart  the  limits  thereof  with  their  children 
and  all  under  them,  within  fifteen  days."  This  warrant 
has  attracted  the  attention  of  former  historians,  and  has 
been  widely  quoted.  One  point  has  hitherto  escaped  atten- 
tion, on  account,  perhaps,  of  the  warrant  being  misplaced 
in  the  record  book.  Jacob  Pepper  reports  on  April  5,  that 
he  has  given  notice  to  the  persons  mentioned,  and  on  the 
same  day  the  town  "voted  to  reconsider  the  former  vote: 
viz.  for  to  warn  out  all  those  who  are  subjects  of  it." 

The  difficulty  of  the  parish  to  meet  the  Province  Tax  at 
the  beginning  has  been  referred  to.  In  1753  the  tax  was  £9, 
but  from  that  time  on  it  shows  a  steady  increase.  By  1760 
it  had  risen  to  £47„7„10.  During  the  next  ten  years  it 
fluctuates,  dropping  as  low  as  £14, ,15.  But  it  leaps  up  again 
to  £311  in  1777-78,  after  which  date  it  is  called  the  State 
Tax,  rising  in  1779-80  to  the  enormous  figure  of  £4027,,  16,, 6. 
These  figures,  however,  fail  to  give  any  very  clear  idea  of 
the  actual  conditions,  for  currency  was  greatly  depreciated. 
In  1781  the  poll  tax  was  £30,,  10.  The  previous  year  £2,000 
was  raised  to  repair  the  highways,  at  $20  a  day.  But  these 
figures  represent  Continental  paper  currency.  The  whole 
subject  of  currency  and  finance  is  extremely  complicated,  and 
can  by  no  means  be  explained  in  any  small  space.  The  fol- 
lowing, culled  with  considerable  labor  from  the  authorities 

*  Probably  cordwainer  or  shoemaker. 


12C  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

on  colonial  finance,  may  help  the  reader  to  a  somewhat  in- 
telligent understanding  of  the  situation. 

In  the  very  earliest  days  wampum,  the  Indians'  medium 
of  exchange,  was  quite  generally  adopted  by  the  settlers. 
Naturally  its  circulation  was  limited.  In  1652  the  Colonial 
Mint  was  established,  and  the  Pine  Tree  Shilling  was 
coined.  It  contained  less  silver  than  the  shilling  sterling,  in 
hopes  of  keeping  it  in  the  Province;  but  it  was  exported 
nevertheless.  At  best  there  was  no  adequate  supply  of 
these  shillings.  Spanish  and  other  coins  of  many  denomina- 
tions were  current.  Pieces  of  Eight,  about  six  shillings  in 
value;  Cross  Dollars,  Rix  Dollars  of  the  Empire,  Mexican, 
French,  Portuguese  and  Dutch  coins  —  all  of  varying 
values,  and  all  greatly  debased  by  "rounding"  and  "clip- 
ping." At  an  early  date  "  Colony  Bills  "  bearing  the  en- 
dorsement of  the  Province  Treasurer  furnished  a  supply  of 
currency.  A  Province  Bill  was  adopted  in  1702,  and  was, 
like  its  predecessor,  a  certificate  of  indebtedness  on  the  part 
of  the  Province  for  the  face  of  the  bill,  said  to  be  in  value 
equal  to  money.  At  a  later  date  the  value  was  expressed  in 
ounces  of  silver  at  a  fixed  rate.  The  bills  containing  the 
phrase  "In  value  equal  to  money"  were  called  Old  Tenor 
Bills. 

In  1736-37  came  the  first  series  of  New  Tenor  Bills,  a 
name  they  retained  about  five  years.  The  second  New 
Tenor  Bills  were  emitted  in  1741-42.  They  usurped  the 
title  "New  Tenor  Bills,"  and  those  previously  spoken  of 
under  that  title  became  "Middle  Tenor  Bills."  In  1744 
the  third  and  last  form  of  New  Tenor  Bill  was  adopted. 
These  were  described  as  "Bills  of  the  Last  Tenor." 

Of  the  Old  Tenor  Bills  there  were  twelve  denominations; 
of  the  second  New  Tenor  eighteen;  of  the  third  nine.  Later 
six  others  were  added,  bringing  the  number  of  different  bills 
in  actual  circulation  up  to  fifty-five.  Then  there  were 
thirty-one  varieties  of  Province  Bills  prior  to  1713,  eight 
denominations  of  the  first  New  Tenor,  or  Middle  Tenor,  of 
1737,  —  all  these  besides  the  very  small  denominations 
known  as  "tokens."  As  all  of  the  bills  of  this  appalling 
catalogue  were  freely  counterfeited,  the  situation  can  only 
be  left  to  the  imagination. 


SECULAR  MATTERS  127 

It  has  been  observed  that  the  year  1737  marked  the  divid- 
ing line  between  Old  and  New  Tenor.  The  Massachusetts 
issues  of  1737  were  at  6  s.  8  d.  per  ounce  in  silver,  or  £4, ,18 
per  ounce  in  gold.  The  government  attempted  to  fix  the 
value  of  New  Tenor  at  one  for  three  of  the  Old,  but  the  cur- 
rent rate  became  one  for  four. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  the  various  New 
England  governments  had  issued  paper  money  for  imme- 
diate use.  By  1778  the  whole  currency  system  had  broken 
down  hopelessly.  Continental  and  State  paper  flooded  the 
land,  debtors  paying  their  obligations  in  bills  worth  hardly 
5%  of  their  face  value.  By  1780  Continental  money  was  at 
forty  to  one  of  silver.  Bancroft  gives  the  value  of  the 
dollar  "buoyed  up  by  the  French  Alliance  "  as  20  cts.  It 
fell  to  12|-  cts.  in  January,  1799,  to  5  cts.  in  April,  to  2^^  cts. 
in  December.^ 

As  a  result  of  all  this  confusion,  it  was  usual  to  resort  to 
"specie,  or  Country  pay  "  which  meant  payment  in  produce 
or  live-stock.  Towns  frequently  adopted  schedules  fixing 
the  money  value  of  labor  and  the  ordinary  commodities. 
TheTown  Records  contain  frequent  references  to  such  valua- 
tions. That  of  1780,  when  Rev.  Winslow  Packard  became 
the  minister  at  a  salary  of  £45,  is  quoted  entire: 

Wheat,  at  five  shillings  per  bushel.  Rye,  at  three  shill- 
ings and  four  pence  per  bushel.  Indian  corn,  at  two  shillings 
and  six  pence  per  bushel.  Pork,  at  three  pence  half  penny 
per  pound.  Beef,  at  two  pence  per  pound.  Sheep's  wool, 
at  one  shilling  and  six  pence  per  pound.  Butter,  at  seven 
pence  per  pound.  Labor,  at  two  shillings  and  six  pence 
per  day  in  hay  time. 

It  was  also  voted  to  pay  Capt.  Brackenridge,  the  old 
way,  or  eighty  double  Continental  money.  Deacon  Wil- 
liam Paige  was  also  allowed  seven  shillings  a  week  old 
way,  or  seventy-two  double  continental. 

The  law  of  the  Province  required  all  male  inhabitants 
above  sixteen  years  of  age,  including  servants,  to  pay  a 
poll  tax.  Exemptions,  however,  were  common;  from 
sickness,  lameness,  blindness,  old  age,  or  other  infirmity. 

*  Here  we  find  the  origin  of  the  slang  phrase  "not  worth  a  continental." 


128  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Troopers  in  war-time  were  exempt,  and  generally  all  citizens 
over  sixty  years  of  age.  The  power  to  exempt  was  largely 
invested  in  the  several  towns,  and  much  time  was  taken  at 
town  meetings  in  voting  exemptions  to  individuals.  Peti- 
tions for  exemptions,  however,  were  not  always  granted,  the 
constables  being  directed  to  collect. 

The  office  of  constable  was  by  no  means  popular.  In 
early  days  he  was  expected  to  serve  without  pay,  and  in 
many  instances  men  were  compelled  to  accept  appointment. 
The  principal  duty  was  that  of  making  the  rates  and  col- 
lecting the  taxes.  The  constable  was  held  strictly  responsi- 
ble for  the  full  amount  of  the  tax,  unless  rates  which  he  could 
not  collect  were  abated  by  the  town.  After  some  years  it 
was  found  necessary  to  pay  for  the  constable's  services,  and 
the  office  began  in  1782  to  be  let  out  to  the  lowest  bidder, 
provided  he  could  secure  acceptable  bondsmen.  At  the  same 
time  the  making  of  rates  began  to  be  paid  for  by  the  time 
required  in  their  making,  and  the  duty  was  assigned  to 
regularly  elected  assessors. 

One  of  the  regular  orders  of  the  town  from  the  beginning 
was  that  swine  should  run  at  large,  yoked  and  ringed. 

Besides  the  ordinary  officers,  selectmen,  clerk,  treasurer, 
constables,  highway  surveyors,  fence-viewers,  hog-reeves 
and  assessors,  we  find  occasionally  tything-men,  deer- 
reeves,  and  measurers  and  inspectors  of  various  commodities 
such  as  beef,  pork,  wool,  shingles,  etc.,  etc.  Deer-reeves 
were  elected  from  1765  to  1785,  and  the  assumption  is  that 
after  that  date  they  were  not  needed  because  of  the  scarcity 
of  the  large  game.  Wild  turkeys  were  once  common,  and 
tradition  has  it  that  the  latest  of  these  were  killed  in  Phille 
Morse's  orchard  about  1825.  The  last  black  bear  was  shot 
about  the  same  time.  No  reference  is  made  in  the  records  to 
wolves  or  other  dangerous  beasts.  A  bounty  of  eight  pence 
a  head  was  offered  for  crows  killed  within  the  town  limits, 
and  twenty -five  were  paid  for  by  the  Selectmen  in  1790. 

Domestic  manufactures  *  kept  many  fingers  busy  in  the 
old  days.  Every  household  had  to  be  provided  with  home- 
made garments,  and  as  families  were  large  much  labor  was 
required  in  carding,  spinning  and  weaving.     Good  clothes 

'  For  much  of  the  following  I  am  indebted  to  a  Ms.  left  by  Miss  Cornelia  Gould. 


SECULAR  MATTERS  129 

of  homespun  however  wore  for  several  seasons,  and  fasliion 
demanded  no  change  of  style.  The  gowns  and  frocks  of 
women  and  children  were  generally  of  black  or  red  ground 
checked  with  a  thread  or  two  of  another  color,  and  the 
fabric  was  dyed  in  the  yarn  at  the  domestic  fire-place. 
Logwood,  Nicaragua  (commonly  pronounced  Niggerauger), 
and  Campeachy  chips,  with  various  native  products  such 
as  sumach  seeds  were  used,  with  alum  and  copperas  to  set 
the  dye.  Deep  blue  and  white  in  a  four-thread  check  was  in 
favor  for  skirts  and  aprons.  There  was  a  tape-loom  for 
making  apron-strings  in  every  home,  —  a  light  frame  with 
one  treadle,  on  which  a  few  threads  of  warp  could  be  strung, 
while  a  ball  of  yarn  held  in  the  hand  was  put  back  and  forth, 
and  beaten  up  with  the  back  of  a  table  knife.  The  soft 
elastic  band  made  a  safe  string  with  which  to  tie  a  toddling 
youngster  to  the  bed-post  to  keep  him  away  from  the  open 
fire-place. 

Sheep's  grey,  that  is,  black  and  white  wool  mixed  in  the 
card,  was  much  in  vogue  for  men's  everyday  wear.  In- 
stead of  an  overcoat  the  farmer  wore  a  long  frock  or  short 
heavy  blouse  of  deep  and  pale  blue  check.  The  dye-pot 
filled  with  indigo  was  a  fixture  in  the  warm  chimney  corner; 
a  great  brown  earthen  crock  covered  with  a  board  upon 
which  the  children  could  sit. 

About  1810  the  country  storekeeper  began  to  keep  fac- 
tory-spun cotton  yarns  to  put  out  for  weaving  on  hand 
looms.  The  pay  was  seven  cents  a  yard  for  plain  white,  and 
half  a  cent  more  for  blue  and  white  apron  check.  A  domes- 
tic gingham  was  checked  with  white,  indigo  blue,  copperas 
yellow  and  madder  red. 

Eli  Snow  and  Joshua  Crowell  were  dealers  in  these  prod- 
ucts, and  pay  was  usually  taken  out  of  the  store.  Bonnet 
braid  made  of  split  straw  was  another  article  of  home  manu- 
facture. Rye  straw  was  cut  when  in  the  milk  and  bleached 
in  the  sun.  It  was  then  cut  into  lengths  at  the  joints  and 
further  whitened  with  sulphur  smoke.  Then  the  straws 
were  dampened,  split  open,  the  inner  surface  scraped,  and 
then  separated  into  strands  with  a  gauge,  —  all  this  before 
beginning  the  braid  which  sold  at  from  one  to  three  cents  a 
yard  according  to  width  and  fineness.    Straw  braiding  went 


130  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

out  in  the  thirties  when  the  straw  shops  began  to  import  the 
braid  in  large  quantities. 

Sheets,  blankets  and  coverlets  for  the  beds  had  to  be 
provided  by  the  housewife  as  well  as  clothing,  and  help 
was  often  hired  to  aid  with  the  spinning.  Girls  were  glad 
to  go  out  and  spin  for  fifty  cents  a  week.  They  were  treated 
as  one  of  the  family,  and  when  there  were  unmarried  sons, 
frequently  became  so  in  fact.  One  of  these  handmaidens 
was  told  by  the  mistress  on  beginning  work  that  "she  did  n't 
care  nothin'  how  she  spun  her  yarn  if  only  'twas  fine,  hand- 
some and  even.'* 

The  making  of  the  rose  coverlet  and  other  fancy  patterns 
was  a  fine  art,  and  could  be  done  only  by  highly  skilled 
weavers.  A  few  could  comb  wool,  and  spin  it  into  worsted. 
This  spinning  was  from  a  lock  held  over  the  finger  instead 
of  from  a  roll  of  wool. 

One  must  not  suppose,  however,  that  there  were  only 
homemade  clothes.  Well-to-do  men  had  their  broad- 
cloth coats  for  Sundays,  and  the  women  an  occasional  silk 
dress,  though  their  garments  lasted  a  lifetime  and  are 
especially  mentioned  in  the  appraisals  of  estates.  English 
prints  of  the  best  quality  were  to  be  had  at  fifty  cents  a  yard. 
Gold  bead  necklaces  were  highly  valued  by  the  women,  and 
a  string  cost  from  eight  to  ten  dollars.  Ambitious  girls 
worked  out  a  whole  season  to  purchase  a  string  of  beads, 
which  was  considered  valuable,  not  only  as  a  badge  of  re- 
spectability, but  as  having  a  medicinal  value  in  warding  off 
disease. 

As  a  rule  people  were  comfortably  fed  and  clothed.  The 
staple  bread  was  Rye  and  Indian,  great  loaves  of  which  were 
baked  in  the  brick  ovens.  Shiftless  or  unfortunate  families 
undoubtedly  suffered  hardship.  A  story  is  preserved  of 
one  of  the  former  kind  that  shall  be  nameless  here.  Being 
inadequately  supplied  with  bed  clothing,  broad  slabs  of 
wood  were  heated  at  night  before  the  fire  and  laid  on  top  of 
the  meagre  blankets,  under  which  the  family  slept  with 
such  comfort  as  so  miserable  a  makeshift  afforded. 


BIRD'S-EYE    VIEW   OF    WARE 

As  seen  from  the  hill  to  the  south-east,  near 
the  site  of  the  old  Warren  Road. 


VII 

The  Colonial  Wars  and  the  Revolution 

French  and  Indian  Wars 

The  Town  Records  contain  no  references  whatever  to 
the  French  and  Indian  Wars.  Information  concerning  the 
part  in  those  contests  taken  by  our  early  inhabitants  is 
laboriously  culled  from  Muster-Roils  and  other  papers  pre- 
served in  the  Mass.  Archives.  Such  incomplete  information 
as  those  ancient  papers  might  give  is  diflBcult  to  get  at,  for 
they  are  indexed  only  by  the  names  of  the  men  that  appear 
upon  them,  not  by  the  towns  from  which  the  men  came. 

The  French  and  Indian  Wars  extended  altogether  from 
1689 — 1763,  though  with  several  intervals  of  peace.  They 
were  simply  the  American  side  of  a  hundred  years'  struggle 
for  supremacy  between  the  English  and  the  French  nations. 
The  first  two  wars  were  fought  before  any  white  man  had 
made  his  home  between  the  Ware  and  Swift  Rivers;  but 
they  were  fearfully  disastrous  to  our  neighbors.  Brookfield 
was  wiped  out  in  1693;  Deerfield  was  destroyed  in  1704. 
Scarcely  a  town  in  the  Connecticut  Valley  escaped  pillage, 
burning  and  murder  at  the  hands  of  the  savage  allies  of  the 
French. 

The  third  war,  commonly  referred  to  as  "The  Old  French 
and  Indian  War  "  lasted  from  1744-49,  breaking  out  after 
a  long  interval  of  peace.  During  that  period  Ware  was  a 
Parish  and  Precinct,  and  was  of  little  importance  either 
socially  or  politically.  It  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
called  upon  to  furnish  men  for  the  army.  But  Jabez  Om- 
stead  took  part  in  the  famous  expedition  against  Louisburg 
on  Cape  Breton  Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
which  Sir  William  Pepperrell  of  Maine,  with  a  force  of  a  few 
thousand  Yankee  farmers  and  fishermen,  set  out  to  capture. 
The  siege  lasted  49  days,  and  the  fort  capitulated  June  17, 
1745.    Jabez  Omstead  had  been  connected  with  the  militia 


132  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

from  tlie  time  he  could  carry  a  gun,  and  in  the  Louisburg 
expedition  he  had  the  rank  of  Captain,  commanding  the 
10th  Co.  in  Col.  Samuel  Willard's  4th  Mass.  regiment. 
His  residence  is  given  as  Brookfield  on  the  Muster  Roll,  in- 
dicating that,  though  he  had  lived  for  fifteen  years  in  Ware 
River,  his  military  relations  were  still  with  his  former  home. 

(No  Precinct  Meeting  is  recorded  for  the  spring  of  1745, 
the  first  one  for  the  year  being  called  for  July  6.  This 
was  held  at  Capt.  Jabez  Omstead's  house,  and  his  bill  for 
boarding  ministers  was  allowed.) 

Timothy  Brown  had  an  honorable  record  in  this  war,  as 
maj^  be  seen  from  the  following  petition,  with  action  upon  it 
by  the  General  Court. 

To  the  Hon^'®  Spencer  Phips  Esq.  Leut.  Governour  and 
Commander  in  Chief  of  this  Province.  The  Hon'''^  His 
Majesties  Council  &  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  assembled  this  11th  day  of  June  1750. 
The  Memorial  of  Timothy  Brown  of  Ware  River  Precinct 
in  the  County  of  Hampshire 

Humbly  sheweth: 
That  on  the  5th  Day  of  May  1746  as  he  was  travelling 
between  the  two  Ashuelots  ^  on  his  return  from  Boston 
(where  he  had  been  to  carry  advices  of  the  enemy  &  the 
Damage  they  had  done)  he  was  Captivated  by  the  Indian 
enemy  &  by  them  carried  to  Canada  &  was  there  detained  a 
long  time  a  prisoner  viz  one  year  three  months  &  fifteen  days 
&  was  stripd  of  his  Arms  Ammunition  &  Clothing  to  a  very 
considerable  value,  underwent  great  Hardships  &  DiflScul- 
ties  during  his  confinement  —  Your  Memorialist  therefore 
prays  your  Honour's  Compassionate  Consideration  of  his 
losses  &  misfortune  &  that  as  your  memorialist  was  then 
in  the  service  of  the  Province  he  may  be  allowed  pay  as  a 
soldier  during  the  time  of  his  Captivity  &  that  he  may  re- 
ceive out  of  the  Treasury  also  the  value  of  his  Arms  & 
Cloathing  then  lost  or  that  he  may  be  otherwise  reliev* 
as  to  your  Honours  in  your  great  wisdom  shall  seem  meet 
&  yr.  Memorialist  as  in  Duty  bound  shall  ever  pray  — 

In  council  June  13,  1750  Read  &  Concurred 

G.  Willard  Secy. 

Consented  to 
S.  Phips. 

*  Near  Keene,  New  Hampshire. 


THE  COLONIAL  WARS  133 

In  the  House  of  Rep«  June  13,  1750 

Read  &  Ordered  that  the  Pet'  be  allowed  out  of  the  pub- 
lick  Treasury  for  his  time  and  loss  mentioned  the  sum  of 
Eleven  Pounds  three  shillings  and  four  pence.  And  that 
the  Commissary  Gen^  be  directed  to  deliver  him  either  a 
gun  and  pistol  or  two  guns  out  of  the  Province  store. 

Sent  up  for  concurrence 

T.  Hubbard  Spkr." 

The  fourth  and  last  of  these  struggles  1754-63  was  by 
far  the  greatest,  and  from  its  importance  is  often  known  as 
"The  French  and  Indian  War."  It  was  to  decide  a  ques- 
tion of  supreme  importance,  namely,  whether  the  English 
or  the  French  should  control  the  American  Continent.  The 
fighting  line  extended  from  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
to  the  Mississippi  River,  through  the  great  valleys  of  the 
Mississippi,  the  Ohio  and  the  Hudson,  along  the  shores  of 
Lake  Champlain,  and  even  down  the  Connecticut  Valley  as 
far  as  Greenfield.  This  war  involved  the  whole  of  the 
American  Colonies,  and  in  it  George  Washington  won  his 
spurs. 

Hampshire  County  was  thrown  into  a  ferment  by  numer- 
ous attacks  upon  its  outposts  at  Dutch  Hoosac  (now 
within  New  York),  at  Stockbridge,  Pittsfield  and  Lenox. 
The  frontier  towns  of  New  Hampshire  suffered  greatly,  the 
enemy  appearing  as  far  south  as  the  Massachusetts  line. 

Col.  Israel  Williams  of  Hatfield  commanded  the  regiment 
from  Hampshire  County,  to  which  Ware  River  sent  a  Com- 
pany of  39  men.  The  Muster  Roll  may  be  seen  in  the 
Mass.  Archives.^ 

A  Muster  Roll  of  Capt.  Jacob  Cummins'  Company  for 
Col.  Israel  Williams  Ridgement  that  went  to  ye  relief  of 
Fort  William  Henry  when  Besieged  by  the  Enemy  in  Aug. 
1757  —  Marched  from  Ware  River  so  called. 

Jacob  Commins,  Capt.  Jacob  Commins  jun.  Cent' 

Joseph  Scott,  Levt.  Moses  Bartlit, 

Moses  Smith,  Ensign  Sam'  Donsmore, 

Israel  Omsted,  Sergt.  Charles  Kilham, 

W°»  Brakenridge,   "  Elijah  Marsh,  " 

1  Vol.  95,  p.  542. 


134  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Danl  Nolten,        Sergt.  Joseph  Patril,           Cent' 

Samuel  Sheirman,  "  Danl  Slate, 
Ben  Commins,             Corp.      John  Allin, 

Lammon  Blackmore,  "          Ebenezer  Allin, 

John  Downing,  "           Henry  Gilbart, 

Ben  Bartlett,    Cent*  Benjamin  Grifen, 

David  Bartlett,    "  Daniel  Cross, 

Ebenezer  Knap,   "  Jonathan  Olds, 

James  Harwood,  **  Joseph  McMickle, 

James  Lammon,  "  Isaac  Maggoon, 

Richard  Rogers,  "  Judah  Marsh, 

Abijah  Scott,        '*  Jotham  Lymon, 

Simeon  Bakon,     **  James  Lull, 

Abr,  Comings,      "  John  Lull, 
Isaac  Commings  '* 

Ware  River  Parish,  Jany.  5th,  1758. 
Errors  Excepted 

Jacob  Cummings. 

The  roll  was  sworn  to  by  the  Captain  before  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  of  Worcester  County  on  the  date  subscribed, 
Jan.  5,  1758. 

The  expedition  was  not  a  long  one,  the  length  of  time  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  men  being  15|^  days.  The  Company 
marched  to  Kenderhook,  with  the  following  exceptions: 
Moses  Smith  and  Benj.  Bartlett  to  ShejQBeld,  Jonathan  Olds 
to  Greenwood,  Judah  Marsh  to  Blanford,  Jotham  Lyman, 
Francis  Lull  and  John  Lull  to  Westfield.  The  total  pay-roll 
of  the  expedition  footed  £75„2,,11. 

Another  old  paper  in  the  Archives  is  this: 

"1757,  August  6.  The  following  to  an  account  of  men 
victualled  by  Luke  Bliss  at  the  cost  of  the  province,  they 
being  sent  to  the  Relief  of  Fort  William  Henry  when  be- 
sieged." 

A  long  list  of  men  follows  from  Ware  River  and  neighbor- 
ing places,  each  charged  with  one  meal.  The  paper  has  no 
further  interest  for  us  —  unless  for  the  extraordinary  spell- 
ing of  the  names  of  the  men. 

Further  information  concerning  those  who  bore  a  part  in 
this  war  is  fragmentary  and  incomplete,  but  it  is  clear  that 
our  townsmen  bore  their  full  share  of  the  toils  of  the  war. 


THE  COLONIAL  WARS  135 

Muster  Roll  of  the  Co.  under  command  of  Capt. 
Samuel  Robinson  of  Hardwick  on  Crown  Point  Expedition 
from  Feb.  18  to  Dec.  24,  1756. 

Edmund  Jordan,  Private.  Enlisted  Mar.  23  to  Nov.  18. 
Died. 

Elijah  Marsh  (Judah  Marsh  Father  or  Master),  Mar.  23 
—  Dec.  2. 

Job  Smith,  Mar.  18  —  Dec.  2. 

Descriptive  list  of  Capt.  Samuel  Robinson's  Company 
in  Col.  Ruggles'  Regiment. 

Edmund  Jordan,  Ware  River.        Elijah  Marsh,  Ware  River. 
Amos  Marsh,  Born  at  Ware  River  Job  Smith,  "        " 

but  last  lived  at  Hardwick. 

Muster  Roll  dated  1756.  Names  of  those  w^ho  have 
served  within  two  years  last  past: 

Moses  Omstead  Jabez  Omstead        Moses  Old 

These  and  others  are  in  Capt.  Ingersoll's  Company,  and 
are  taken  from  a  list  of  the  persons  in  the  South  Regiment 
in  County  of  Hampshire  under  command  of  Col.  W""  Worth- 
ington,  that  have  been  employed  in  His  Majesty's  service 
within  two  years  last  past  according  to  the  return  of  the 
several  captains. 

A  Muster-Roil  of  a  Company  of  Foot  in  His  Majesty's 
Service  under  the  Command  of  Captain  Andrew  Dalrymple 
of  Petersham  in  a  Regiment  raised  by  the  province  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay,  for  the  Reduction  of  Canada,  whereof 
Jedidiah  Preble  Esq.  is  Colonel. 

Expedition  from  March  30  to  Nov.  30.  Among  the  names 
are  the  following,  given  as  from  Ware  River: 

Daniel  Knowlton,  Ensign,  at  £3„10  per  month.  Term 
of  service  8  mo.  16  days. 

John  Allen,  Private,     Thomas  Crowfoot,  Private. 

William  Blackmore,     "  Moses  Omstead,  " 

Abraham  Cummings,  "  David  Thomas,  ** 

Isaac  Cummings,         " 

All  for  7  mos.  19  da.  @  £  1„16  per  mo. 

A  Company  on  Crown  Point  Expedition,  —  102  Men. 
From  Ware  River: 


13G  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Adonijali   Brooks,  Private,  who  deserted. 


John  Davis, 
Abuer  Elger, 
Ebenezer  Knap, 
Noah  Marsh, 
Thomas  Marsh, 


Discharged  Aug.  22. 
Served  through. 
Discharged  May  27. 
Under  age.    Served  through. 


Muster  Roll  of  Company  under  John  Burke,  Esq.,  Capt. 
in  expedition  to  Crown  Point  from  Mar.  31,  1759  to  Dec. 
25  following. 

From  Ware  River: 

Ebenezer  Cummins,  Mar.  6  to  Nov.  30 
Noah  Marsh,  Apr.   "   "  Dec.     1 

Nahum  Powers,  "     "   "      "      " 

Telle  Burk,  "     "   "      "       " 

Ephraim  Marsh  "     "   "      "      " 

Enlisted  by  Capt.  Elijah  Smith  and  others  —  Col.  Israe^ 
Williams'  Regiment,  for  the  intended  expedition  against 
Canada  in  1759. 

Joseph  Scott  of  Ware  River  enlisted  in  1760.  Asaph 
Scott  given  as  his  father  or  master. 

Joseph  Scott,  a  minor,  of  Dudley.  Joseph  Scott  of  Ware 
River  given  as  his  father  or  master. 

Muster  Roll  of  the  Company  under  command  of  Salah 
Barnard  of  Deerfield,  Capt.  —  Serving  W^estward  from  31 
March  to  31st  Dec.  1759.     Receipted  (Endorsement)  Feb. 


9,  1760. 

From  Ware  River: 

Simeon  Bacon, 

Apr.  6  —  Dec. 

1 

Sol°  Cummins, 

(<       (<           it 

<< 

Jacob  Cummins, 

"      "  —  Nov. 

16 

Experience  Cross, 

"      "  —  Dec. 

1 

James  Harwood, 

"     18—      " 

(( 

David  Pratt, 

"       6—      " 

2 

Job  Smith, 

(t       (< << 

1 

About  the  same  time  —  "  Muster  Roll  of  Capt.  James 
Gray  &  Company  from  Feb.  15th,  1760  to  Jan.  1st,  1761. 

Ebenezer  Cummins,  Private,  of  Ware  River,  Mar.  17  to 
Dec.  2. 


THE   COLONIAL  WARS  137 

A  Return  of  men  enlisted  for  His  Majesty's  Service  for 
total  Reduction  of  Canada,  1760. 

Endorsed  as  Ensign  Taylor's  Return. 

In  the  list  is  the  name  of  Simeon  Omstead,  aged  18  years. 
Born  at  Wair  River,  though  his  residence  is  given  as  Dor- 
chester, Canada. 

Muster  Roll  of  the  Company  etc.  Under  Command  of 
Wm.  Paige,  Esq.  Capt. 

Joseph  Pattourell,  Private  of  Ware  River.  Served  34 
weeks,  4  days.    Wages  £15„11„2. 

Most  of  the  members  of  this  company  are  from  Brook- 
field,  Hardwick  and  New  Braintree. 

Date  of  acceptance  of  pay-roll  Feb.  13,  1760. 

Evidently  service  was  in  1759. 

Muster  Roll  of  men  under  command  of  Capt.  Salah 
Barnard  of  Deerfield,  Feb.  19  to  Dec.  12,  1760. 

Itham'  Amidown,    Private,  Apr.     4  to  Nov.    6 
Ephraim  Ayers,  "  "        9  "      "      30 

Jedidiah  Ayers,  "         Mar.  27  "      "      30 

Nathan  Cummins,         "         Apr.   18  "      "      30 

(Solomon  Blackmer  Father  or  Master) 
Samuel  Smith 

Jo^s'"' Scou"^**  1    (Joseph  Scott  Father  or  Master) 

James  Taylor 

Benjamin  Thompson  (John  Thompson  Father  or  Master). 

The  war  practically  came  to  an  end  with  the  capture  of 
Quebec  by  General  Wolfe  after  the  gallant  defence  of  that 
city  by  Montcalm,  the  famous  battle  in  which  the  illustrious 
generals  on  both  sides  fell.  But  the  treaty  of  peace  was 
not  signed  until  1763,  at  which  time  the  French  King  gave 
up  all  his  American  possessions  except  the  Louisiana  Terri- 
tory. Of  greatest  possible  importance  to  the  Colonists  was 
the  ending  of  the  struggle  with  the  Indians,  a  struggle  that 
had  gone  on  for  more  than  a  hundred  years.  Children  had 
been  born,  had  lived  out  their  lives,  and  died  right  here  in 
our  own  neighborhood  without  knowing  what  it  meant  to  live 


138  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

in  peace  and  security.  Families  had  been  massacred;  men, 
women  and  children  dragged  to  Canada  as  captives,  many  of 
them  never  to  return.  There  was  not  an  early  family  in 
western  Massachusetts  but  suffered  mentally  or  materially 
from  the  enmity  of  the  savages  incited  by  their  French 
allies,  and  the  roll  of  those  who  died  cruelly  at  their  hands 
can  never  be  made  up.  The  close  of  the  war  brought  a 
sense  of  security  never  before  known,  and  the  real  develop- 
ment of  the  country  began. 

Period  of  the  Revolution 

The  last  French  and  Indian  War  was  practically  over  by 
the  end  of  1759,  though  the  formal  treaty  of  peace  was  not 
signed  until  1763.  A  period  of  twelve  years  was  to  elapse 
before  the  alarms  of  war  should  again  disturb  those  who 
dwelt  upon  the  Manour  of  Peace.  During  this  period  the 
men  of  Ware  were  learning  and  developing  the  intricacies 
of  self-government.    The  higher  offices  were  held  by 

Jacob  Cumings  William  Bell 

William  Breakenridge  Abraham  Cummings 

John  Davis  Israel  Cummings 

Maverick  Smith  Joseph  Foster 

Samuel  Dunsmore  Andrew  Rutherford 

Abijah  Davis  Solomon  Cummings 

Samuel  Sherman  Benjamin  Cummings 

John  Downing  Samuel  Blackmer 

Isaac  Magoon  Joseph  Gray 

Jonathan  Rogers  James  Lammon 

The  Provincial  Census  of  1764  gives  the  following  items 
regards  the  population  of  the  District  of  Ware: 

Houses 74 

Families 76 

Men 109 

Women 126 

Boys  under  16  yrs 127 

Girls     "     "       '* 122 

Negro  (Female) 1 

Making  a  total  population  of     .  485 


THE  LAFAYETTE  ELM 

This  superb  tree  stands  on  the  road  from 
Ware  to  Palmer,  south-west  of  Ware  Village. 
It  is  thought  to  be  about  three  hundred  years 
old.  Its  shadow  at  noon  is  one  hundred  and 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  trunk  is  nearly 
twenty  feet  in  circumference.  Its  perfect  con- 
tour, together  unth  its  remarkable  size,  attracts 
the  attention  of  every  passer-by. 


THE  REVOLUTION  139 

At  this  time  there  was  a  slight  excess  of  women,  due  per- 
haps to  some  of  the  more  adventurous  men  pushing  out 
into  the  wilderness  in  search  of  better  lands  after  the  close 
of  the  French  and  Indian  Wars.  Ware  was  not  regarded  as 
a  prime  agricultural  region.^ 

A  simple  calculation  on  the  basis  of  the  two  census  reports, 
that  for  1764  and  that  for  1790,  indicates  that  the  town's 
population  at  the  outbreak  of  the  War,  in  1775,  must  have 
been  about  617. 

The  first  intimation  that  the  Town  Records  give  of  the 
coming  conflict  was  the  election  of  Capt.  William  Braken- 
ridge,  in  March,  1775,  as  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress. 
At  an  adjourned  meeting  three  weeks  later  it  was  voted  to 
adopt  the  resolutions  of  the  Congress.  Again  on  May  20  it 
was 

Voted  to  Chuse  three  men  to  take  turns  to  atend  the  s'd 
Congress.  Made  choice  of  Capt.  Wm.  Breakenridge,  Ens. 
Joseph  Foster,  Dea.  Thomas  Jinkins  to  atend  s'd  Congress, 
a  free  Gratis  —  the  District  bearing  their  Expense." 

In  October  of  the  same  year  Capt.  Brakenridge's  account 
as  delegate  was  allowed,  —  £„6„8„2,  and  Ensign  Foster's 
£3„9„6. 

The  first  Provincial  Congress  met  at  Salem  Oct.  7,  1774. 
John  Hancock  was  elected  chairman  and  Benjamin  Lincoln 
clerk.  It  was  adjourned  to  meet  at  Concord  on  October  11, 
when  a  permanent  organization  was  effected  with  the  same 
presiding  officer  and  clerk.  Two  more  sessions  were  held  in 
1774  at  Cambridge.  A  great  amount  of  business  was  trans- 
acted; a  Committee  of  Public  Safety  appointed,  and  one  of 
inquiry  into  the  state  of  the  Province.  Measures  were 
passed  for  the  improvement  of  the  militia,  for  the  gathering 
of  warlike  stores,  for  the  organizing  of  an  army,  and  for 
the  enrolment  of  12,000  minute  men.  Towns  were  urged 
to  provide  all  necessary  equipment  for  this  force.  The  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  was  authorized  to  procure  ammunition  and 
supplies,  and  sixty  thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  for 
the  purpose.     A  Receiver  General  was  appointed,  to  whom 

^  In  1790  the  proportion  of  males  and  females  was  reversed,  the  census  figures 
giving  to  Ware  394  males  and  378  females. 


140  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

constables  and  tax  collectors  were  directed  to  pay  all  moneys 
received  by  them. 

The  second  Provincial  Congress,  attended  by  230  depu- 
ties, was  convened  Feb.  1,  1775,  at  Cambridge,  which  held 
three  more  sessions,  two  at  Concord  and  one  at  Watertown; 
and  a  third  Congress  was  convened  at  Watertown  May  31 
to  July  19,  1775.  At  these  meetings  it  was  resolved  that 
the  measures  of  the  former  Congress  for  putting  the  Colony 
in  a  complete  state  of  defence  be  rigorously  pursued  by  towns 
and  individuals.  So  the  Royal  Rule  in  Massachusetts  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  people.  The  last  town  meeting  in 
Ware  called  in  "His  Majesty's  Name  "  was  held  on  March 
4,  177G.  The  meeting  in  September  was  warned  without 
stating  any  authority,  while  with  the  beginning  of  1777  the 
warning  is  "In  the  name  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts  and 
of  the  People." 

In  Provincial  Congress,  May  1,  1775. 

Whereas  the  Inhabitants  of  Boston  have  been  detained 
by  Gen.  Gage,  but  at  length  (by  agreement)  are  permitted 
to  remove  with  their  effects  into  the  country;  and  it  is  be- 
lieved that  about  5000  of  said  inhabitants  are  indigent,  & 
unable  to  be  at  the  expense  of  removing.  Resolved  that  the 
towns  named  be  requested  to  take  the  number  specified  in 
this  schedule,  the  selectmen  to  provide  for  said  inhabitants 
in  the  best  &  most  prudent  way,  and  other  towns  be  desired 
to  contribute  &c.  Reasonable  allowance  for  the  support  of 
these  persons  will  later  be  made  from  the  public  treasury." 
The  number  apportioned  to  Ware  was  13.  It  was  further 
"Resolved  that  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  thus  removed 
shall  not  in  future  be  considered  as  the  poor  of  said  town 
into  which  they  remove. 

On  March  4, 1776,  our  town  "  Maid  Choice  of  Dec.  Jinkins, 
Lieut  Comraings  and  Jonathan  Rogers,  Joseph  Gray,  Lem- 
uel Blackmore,  Chose  a  Commity  of  Corespondence  and 
Safty."  Meanwhile  the  call  for  soldiers  had  met  with  ready 
response.  The  "Lexington  Alarm"  had  rung  out  on  the 
19th  of  April,  1775,  and  on  the  following  day  our  soldiers 
were  on  their  way  to  join  their  regiment. 

The  names  of  those  patriots  so  prompt  to  answer  the  call 
are  fortunately  preserved  in  the  State  Archives. 


THE  REVOLUTION 


141 


Lexington  Alarm,  1775.  Minute  Roll  of  men  under 
Capt.  Joseph  Foster  of  Ware  in  Col.  Ruggles  Woodbridge's 
Regt.  Enlisted  April  28th  to  May  19.  Left  home  April 
20th  to  22nd.  — 


Joseph  Foster,  Capt. 
William  Gilmer,  Lieut. 
Samuel  Blackmer,  Sergt. 
Ebenezer  Nye,  " 

John  Croft,  Corp'. 
Judah  Symons,       Priv. 
Jonathan  Marsh, 
Thomas  Gilman, 
Judah  Marsh, 
Charles  Boney, 
Joseph  Cummings, 
Thomas  Sherman, 
Timothy  Evens, 
Nathaniel  Wilder, 
Gersham  Whitney, 


Nathan  Davis, 
Elkanah  Billings, 
Steward  Kee, 
Thomas  Andrews, 
John  Rutherford, 
John  Bullon, 
Jeremiah  Gould, 
Noah  Thompson, 
Miles  Jordan, 
James  Damon,  Jun 
Gershom  Whitney  ' 
Samuel  Andrews, 
Thomas  Jenkens, 
Prince  Sherman 


Priv. 


Nor  did  the  enthusiasm  speedily  evaporate.  Volunteers 
for  a  three  months'  enlistment  were  called  for,  and  the  call 
met  with  an  equally  prompt  response.  The  minute  men 
who  had  responded  to  the  Lexington  Alarm  were  full  of 
enthusiasm,  and  others  had  caught  their  spirit.  The  fol- 
lowing enlistments  were  made  for  terms  varying  from  three 
months  to  three  months  and  two  weeks  in  April  and  May: 


Muster   Roll    of    the    Company  under  Capt. 
Bardwell,  in  Col.  David  Brewer's  Regiment. 


Jonathan 


William  Gilmore,  1st  Lieut. 
Thomas  Andres,  Sergeant 
Samuel  Whurter,        " 
Nathan  Davis,  " 

Baijah  Davis,  Corporal 
Noah  Amsdel,  Priv. 

Samuel  Andres,  " 

Eleanah  Billings,  " 
William  Blackmore,  " 
Ebenezer  Clarke,  " 
Josiah  Davis,  " 

Nahum  Davis,  '* 

Barnibus  Evens,  *' 
Timothy  Evens, 


James  Haven, 
Joseph  Hensen, 
Stuard  Kee, 
Elijah  Knights, 
Jacob  Lazel, 
James  McClintock 
Jonathan  Olds, 
Nathanel  Roggers, 
Prince  Shearman, 
Abraham  Stebbings, 
Nath^i  Wilder, 
Garsham  Whitney,  Jun' 
Garsham  Whitney, 


Priv. 


142  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Evidently  most  of  these  men  re-enlisted  in  the  same  com- 
pany, together  with  some  others,  for  an  undated  document  of 
eight  months'  service  men  gives  us  the  following: 

Muster  Roll  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Bardwell's  Co.  in  the  9 
Continental  Regt.,   Commanded  by  Colo.  David  Brewer. 

Lt.  William  Gilmor  Jonathan  Olds,  d.  Aug.  22 

Sergt.  Thomas  Andrews  Joseph  Hixon 

"      John  Bardwell  Gershom  Whitney  Jun' 

"      Abijah  Davis  Ebenezer  Clark 

Thomas  Shearman  Barnabus  Evins 

Nathan  Davis  Jacob  Lazel 

James  Haven  Samuel  Andrews 

Josiah  Davis  Nahum  Davis 

Nathaniel  Rogers  Alexander  Takels 

Noah  Amsden  Gershom  Whitney 

James  McClintock  William  Blackmore 

Nethaniel  Wilder  TimothyEvins,d.JunelO 

Elkanah  Billings  Samuel  Mc'SMiarter 

Steward  Kee  Edman  Capen,  absent  by 
Abraham  Stebeons  order,    and  present  in 

Elijah  Knights  his  room. 

Col.  David  Brewer  was  extremely  popular  in  this  vicin- 
ity. He  was  a  resident  of  Palmer,  a  man  of  military  spirit  and 
bearing.  Nine  sets  of  "beating  papers"  were  issued  to  him, 
and  his  regiment  was  rapidly  filled  up.  Nine  Captains 
united  in  signing  the  following  petition:  "We,  the  subscrib- 
ers beg  to  be  indulged  in  joining  Col.  David  Brewer's  regi- 
ment, in  preference  to  any  other."  A  large  proportion  of 
his  regiment  was  recruited  among  the  Minute  Men  then 
present  at  Cambridge.  His  regiment,  of  about  500  men, 
was  known  as  the  Ninth  Massachusetts. 

In  addition  to  the  enlistments  already  given  we  find  under 
the  year  1775  the  name  of  Joseph  McClintock  in  a  Return  of 
Capt.  Sylvanus  Walker's  Co.  in  Col.  Timothy  Danielson's 
Regt. ;  Cornelius  Weeks  in  a  list  of  Capt.  Abel  Thayer's  Co. 
in  the  8th  Regt.  of  Foot  in  the  Continental  Army  com- 
manded by  John  Fellows,  Esq.,  Col°.,  reported  at  Dorchester 
in  October.  Also  from  a  roll  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Danforth's 
Co.  in  the  9th  Continental  Regt.  commanded  by  Col.  David 
Brewer,  Oct.  7,  we  learn  that  Miles  Jordin  of  Ware  died  on 
June  11,  1775. 


THE  REVOLUTION  143 

But  few  names  have  been  found  that  fit  into  the  year 
1776.  In  a  return  of  men  "enlisted  for  three  years  or  during 
the  war,  1776-1780,"  is  the  name  of  James  Haven,  for  the 
war,  in  the  6th  Mass.  Regt.  Haven  was  the  only  man  from 
Ware,  so  far  as  is  known,  who  served  through  the  entire 
conflict. 

A  list  of  officers  chosen  in  the  presence  of  Col.  Samuel 
Howe  as  moderator  in  1776  gives  the  following: 

William  Brakingridge,  Capt. 
Abraham  Cummings,^  Lt. 
Joseph  Foster,  Lt. 

A    Muster   Roll  of   Capt.  Oliver  Lyman's  Co.  in  Col. 
Dike's  Regt.  for  their  milige.  Travelling  and  Wages. 
Dorchester  Nov.  27th  1776,  3  mos.  to  March  1777. 

Henry  Gilbert  ....   79  miles 

Will-  Blackmore  ...   79      " 

Ephriam  Paddock    .    .   79      " 

The  year  1777  shows  great  activity  in  the  movements  of 
the  militia. 

Pay  roll  of  Capt.  Breakenridge's  Co.  of  militia  in  Col. 
Porter's  Regiment,  County  of  Hampshire  State  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay.  Service  under  Col.  Seth  Warner  at 
Manchester. 

William  Breakenridge,  Capt.         Abraham  Damond  Rank  and  file 

Jno.  Foster,  Lieut.  George  Brakenridge 

John  Bullen,      Sarjt.  Lot  Dean 

Thomas  Marsh,    "  Joel  Marsh 

Nathaniel  Wilder,  Corp.  Moses  Dow, 

Edmon  Capen,       Rank  and  file  Elkanah  BilHngs 

Wm.  Anderson  "       "  "    John  Croft 

Abraham  Stebbings    "       "  "    Stephens  Jinkins 

Wilfiam  Patrick  "       "  "    William  Blackemore 

Edward  Damond        "       "  "    Wm.  Morton 

Thomas  Damond       "      "  " 

Allowed  for  120  miles  travel  from  home. 

A  Pay  Roll  of  Lieut.  Josiah  Wilson  and  Company  in 
Col.  Porter's  Regt.  of  Militia  from  the  County  of  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts  State,  who  marched  on  an  alarm  to  Rein- 

*  It  may  be  of  interest  to  note  that  in  the  multitude  of  documents  bearing  on 
the  war,  the  name  Cummings  is  spelled  twenty-eight  different  ways. 


144  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

force  the  army  under  the  command  of  the  Hon.  Maj""  Gen'l 
Gates,  who  found  themselves  and  conveyed  their  own  bag- 
gage, going  and  returning,  for  their  pay  from  the  state. 
Josiah  Wilson,  Lieut.  James  Gilmore,  Privet 

Joseph  Cumings,  "  Simeon  Gleason, 

Simeon  Stone,     Sergt.  John  Hooker, 

Joseph  Hinds,        "  Andrew  Harwood, 

Nath'l  Gleason,     *'  Joshua  Lazel,  " 

Prince  Sharmon,    "  Benj.  Merrit 

Solomon  Hinds,  Corp.  Jeremiah  Powers,    " 

Philley  Morse,  Drummer         James  Powers,  " 

Oliver  Alden,      Privet  Isaac  Powers,  " 

Daniel  Bridges,        "  David  Pattisson,     " 

Moses  Colton,  "  William  Shearer,      " 

John  Connon,  "  Nehem''  Thomas,    " 

Joseph  Cummings,  "  Benja  Wood, 

Jonathan  Foster,      "  Randal  Wheeler,      " 

John  Gilmore, 

Marched  Sept.  23,  1777.    Discharged  Oct.  17,  1777. 
Marched  140  miles.     Days  allowed  to  return  7.     Whole 
time  of  service  1  mo.  2  da. 

Thos.  Andrews  and  Rheuben  Sherman  enlisted  this  year, 
and,  as  is  shown  by  a  receipt,  served  three  full  years.  Also 
Noah  Amsden  of  Ware,  but  credited  to  Barre. 

Jabez  Nye,  a  private  in  Capt.  Israel  Davis's  Co.,  Col. 
Wigglesworth's  Regt.,  was  in  service  under  a  three  years' 
enlistment  on  Sept.  15,  1777.  A  report  dated  Camp  at 
Valley  Forge,  June  2,  1778,  states  that  he  died  on  May  16. 
An  undated  document  tells  us  that  the  following  had  en- 
listed in  the  same  Company: 

Barnabas  Evans  Jabez  Nye 

James  Haven  Joseph  Nye 

A  Return  of  the  Men  Inlisted  or  drafted  into  the  Conti- 
nental Army  from  the  fourth  Battalion  of  Militia  in  the 
Co.  of  Hampshire: 

Capt.  Wm.  Brakenridge  Barnabus  Evens 

Ebenez'  Davis  Edmund  Evans 

Thomas  Andrews  Jabez  Nye 

John  Andrews  Joseph  Nye 


RESIDENCE  OF  SAMUEL  MORSE 
Erected  in  1799 


THE  REVOLUTION  145 

Silas  Stephens  James  Haven 

Thomas  Steele  *  George  Whitney- 

Joseph  Marsh  Sam'  Camp  (transient  person) 

Rheuben  Sherman 

Inlisted    from    Capt.  Breakenridge's    Co.      Dated    So. 

Hadley,  May  20,  1777.  R.  Woodbridge  Lt.  Col. 

These  men  were  enlisted  for  three  years'  service.  In  the 
spring  of  1779,  a  return  should  have  been  made  by  the  Cap- 
tain. A  list  is  found  identical  with  the  above,  except  for 
the  lack  of  one  name,  Joseph  Nye.  The  document  is  of  in- 
terest from  the  following  at  the  end  of  the  list : 

"I  hereby  certify  that  this  is  the  best  return  I  could 
get  from  the  Town  of  Ware,  which  I  had  from  Mr.  Jenkins 
one  of  the  Committee  of  the  Town  &  a  Representative.  ^ 

The  Capt.  Wil°>  Breakenridge  neglects  his  duty  of  making 
a  return,  for  what  reason  I  cannot  say. 

B.  MiUs." 

As  a  matter  of  fact.  Captain  Breakenridge  wrote  his  report 
April  1,  1779,  but  for  some  reason  it  was  not  received  by 
the  proper  Committee  until  April  29,  fifteen  days  too  late 
to  be  passed  upon. 

Captain  Breakenridge's  list  differs  to  such  a  degree  that  it 
is  given  in  full: 

Ware  Return,  Handed  in  since  the  Committees  sat  in 
the  County  of  Hampshire,  In  public  service.  To  Col.  Ruggles 
Woodbridge,  at  South  Hadley. 

Jabez  Nye  Ebenezer  Davis 

Joseph  Nye  Samuel  Camp 

Joseph  Linten  Rheuben  Sherman 

Silas  Shephard  Joseph  Marsh 

Noah  Andrews  Garshon  Whitney 

Thomas  Andrews  Barnabus  Evens 

John  Andrews  Abner  Lazel 

Thomas  Stele  Jonathan  Corly 

April  1  1779 

W.  Brakenridge  Capt. 

Return  sent  to  the  Committees  April  29,  1779. 

1  From  another  source  we  learn  that  Steele  died  Feb.  9,  1779.  John  "^Mieeler 
enlisted  Oct.  6,  1777,  and  deserted  March  5,  1779. 


146  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  following  bears  no  date  but  is  later  than  1776: 

A  Muster  Roll  for  to  draw  the  Billiting  Money  for  a 
Co.  of  the  IMolicia  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Elijah 
Dwight  (of  Belchertown) 

Serjt.  Joseph  Foster  Stephon  Jinkins 

Corp'  Tho«  Winslow  Simeon  Bacon  Jn' 

Corp'  Solomon  Bush  —  Diseased  Lot  Dean 

Samuel  Lammon  Silas  Dean 

Simeon  Bacon  Solomon  Paterson 
Stephon  Demons 

All  150  miles  from  the  camp  at  1  penny  a  mile. 

The  Town  Records  of  March  29,  1777  indicate  the  popu- 
larity  of  the  war. 

Voted  to  raise  Eight  men  for  the  Continental  Armey, 
and  to  Give  Each  man  twenty  Pounds,  as  a  bounty  from  the 
town. 

Voted  to  Raise  s'd  money  by  the  Last  State  Bill,  macking 
Proper  Allowances  for  Service  Done  in  time  Past  in  the 
War. 

Voted  to  Chuse  a  Committee  of  nine  men  to  make  the 
Raits  to  Pay  the  Soldiers.  Chose  Wm.  Breakenridge,  David 
Brown,  Lent.  Foster,  Lent.  Cummings,  Dea.  Jinkens,  Serg't 
Paterson,  Serj.  Beilling,  Samuel  Dansmore,  a  Committee 
to  make  a  levy  on  the  poles  and  Estates  to  pay  the  above 
Eight  Soldiers. 

The  diflBculty  of  raising  money  for  the  various  needs  be- 
comes apparent.  The  exemption  of  soldiers  from  the  poll- 
tax,  with  the  payment  of  military  bounties  and  expenses, 
made  great  inroads  on  the  resources  of  the  people.  In 
November,  1777,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  "Remon- 
strate to  the  General  Cort  against  Calling  in  the  State's 
money  by  Lone." 

In  April,  1778,  it  was  "voted  to  Raise  the  Clothing  for  the 
Conatanil  Solders,  voted  to  alow  six  Dollers  a  pair  for  shues, 
and  four  Dollers  a  pair  for  Stoking.  Voted  to  give  ten 
shilling  a  yard  for  to(w)  cloth,  yard  wide,  Edward  Damon 
Jun.  to  provide  twenty  one  yerds."  In  June  £30  was 
granted  for  the  relief  of  the  families  of  soldiers,  £120  to  pay 


THE  REVOLUTION  147 

the  bounties  for  four  men,  and  £42  to  pay  three  men  their 
bounty. 

A  descriptive  list  of  nine  months'  men  enlisted  in  June, 
1778,  Colonel  Porter's  Regt.,  Captain  Brakinridge's  Co., 
gives  the  following  from  Ware: 

Oliver  Newton,  Age  35,  Stature  5  ft.  8  in. 
Philip  Bartlett,  "  29,  "  6  ft.  3  in. 
Silas  Marsh,  "     16,        "       5  ft.  3  in. 

Abraham  Stebbins     (No  description) 

In  addition  we  find  a  "Pay  Roll  of  Capt.  Samuel  Fair- 
field's Co.  in  Col.  Nathan  Sparhawk's  Regt.  of  Melitia 
raised  for  the  defence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  Sept. 
1778." 

Duty  at  Dorchester.    Discharged  Dec.  12. 

Joseph  Foster,  Lieut.  Asa  Foster,  Private 

Holton  Blackmore,  Private      Joseph  Patroll,  " 
Phineas  Converse,       " 

In  March,  1779,  £100  was  voted  for  the  relief  of  families 
of  men  serving  in  the  army.  In  April  it  was  "voted  that  the 
Selectmen  Purchise  the  gunes  and  sell  them  at  a  public 
vandue  to  the  highest  bider  in  Town.  Voted  to  sel  the  Gun 
Locks  at  a  vandue." 

In  July  a  levy  was  made  through  the  town  to  supply  the 
quota  of  nine  months'  men.  At  the  same  time  the  General 
Court  was  petitioned  to  abate  some  portion  of  the  state  tax. 

The  names  of  but  three  men  can  be  found  who  were  levied 
in  accordance  with  the  above  vote.  These  are  found  on  a 
descriptive  list  of  nine  months'  men  in  the  Continental  Town 
and  County  Rolls  of  1779: 

Age.  Stature 

Nathan  Davis,     37,    6  ft.  Hair  and  Complexion,  Dark 

Prince  Sherman,  26,    5  ft.  7  in.        "      "  "  Light 

Joseph  Hixon,      23,    5  ft.  6  in.        "      "  "  Dark 

Another  roll  gives  Judah  Marsh  as  on  duty  in  the  West 
Hampshire  County  Regt.  at  New  London. 


148  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  following  receipt  belonging  to  this  year  is  of  interest. 

June   17,    1779,  3  year   service,  Joseph  Marsh  in  Capt. 
Spurr's  Co.,  Col.  NLxon's  Regt. 
To  Cash  pd  him  fr.  proceeds  of  State  Lottery    £1  „    6  „  7 
To  3  shirts,  3  pr.  shoes,  3  pr.  hose  supplied 

by  the  state  at  the  regulated  price  3  „  13  „  0 

To  his  Proportion  of  small  stores  delivered 

in  Camp,  at  Regulated  Price,  deducting 

value  of  what  he  paid  toward  them  2  „  11  „  7 

To  a  bounty  of  £20  paid  him  by,  or  in  behalf 

of  the  Town  of  Ware  Mar.  19, 1777  (value)      15  „  12  „  6 
To  33  Months  11  Days  Wages  paid  him  by 

the  Continent  at  40s  per  Month  £66,, 
14„  8  (Value)    ^  ^        ^  13  „    2  „  0 

To  amount  of  Articles  supplied  his  family  at 

the  regulated  Price  by  the  town  0  „    0  „  0 

36  „    5„8 
To  Ballance  30  „    9  „  0 

66  „  14  „  8 

The  above  Ballance  £30„9„0  multiplied  by  32^  to 
make  good  the  Depreciation,  is  in  current  Money  £989  „ 
12„6. 

Certified  10  July,  1780. 

Several  other  similar  receipts  may  be  found  in  the  State 
Archives.  One  of  Dec.  31,  1779,  shows  that  Ebenezer 
Davis  was  transferred  to  the  Corps  of  Invalids  on  Oct.  23, 
1777. 

In  the  early  months  of  1780  one  finds  only  routine  votes 
in  regard  to  the  raising  of  men  for  the  army,  the  aim  being 
invariably  to  procure  them  at  as  low  a  rate  as  possible.  On 
September  12,  the  town  voted  to  raise  £13,680  to  pay  the 
soldiers  then  in  the  service.  One  needs  to  remember  the 
enormous  depreciation  of  currency  at  the  time.  In  Novem- 
ber a  committee  of  three  was  appointed  "to  buy  the  Con- 
tinental Beaf." 

A  list  of  men  mustered  June  22,  1780,  in  Captain  Brak- 
enridge's  Co. 


THE  REVOLUTION 


149 


Age 

Ht. 

Comp. 

Wm.  McGown 

19 

5-7 

Dark 

James  Comings 

17 

5-8 

(< 

David  McClintock 

17 

5-6 

« 

Sam^  Shirman 

17 

5-6 

(t 

Sam^  Andres 

19 

5-7 

Light 

Nathan  Pratt 

19 

5-7 

Dark 

Benj°  Marsh 

16 

5-1 

Light 

Solomon  Fullonder 

18 

5-5 

«< 

Dan'  Roggers 

40 

5-5 

Dark 

5  mo. 

3  da. 

5  mo. 

5  mo. 

13  da. 

6    " 

4    " 

6    " 

16    " 

Six  months'  men,  Continental  Army  from  Town  of 
Ware,  1780: 

John  Bullen,  July  13, 

Edmund  Capen,  **      " 

Elkanah  Billings,  "      " 

Will-  Morton,  "      ** 

John  Henry  Putnam,     "      " 

Wages  paid  by  the  town,  £2  per  month. 

In  the  same  year  Elkanah  Billings,  John  Henry  Putman, 
John  Bullen,  Edmond  Chapin  and  William  Maclain  are 
listed  as  nine  months'  men. 

In  an  abstract  of  sums  due  on  the  Roll  for  the  County  of 
Hampshire  for  supplies  of  soldiers'  families  from  September, 
1777  to  Jan.  1,  1780,  Ware  is  put  down  for  £180„19. 

In  1781  the  town  passed  routine  votes  in  regard  to  enlist- 
ments. We  find  that  Capt.  Oliver  Coney  served  in  Colonel 
Sears's  Regt.  from  August  12  to  Nov.  15,  1781.  His  trav- 
elling allowance  shows  that  camp  was  146  miles  from  Ware. 
With  him,  for  the  same  term  of  service,  were  Jotham  Sy- 
mons,  John  Magoon,  Jacob  Lazell  and  Ichabod  Merrit. 

In  addition  an  undated  Descriptive  List  has  been  found  as 
follows : 


James  Strickland, 
Elijah  Comins, 
Daniel  Rogers, 
William  Key  Brown, 
John  Putnam, 


Age  21,  3  years 

"    44,  3       " 

"     16,  6  months 

*'    25,  6 

"     19,  6 


Now  the  town  statistics  show  that  Daniel  Rogers  was 
sixteen  years  old  on  April  29,  1781,  which  fact  enables  us 


150  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

to  put  these  men  in  their  proper  year,  and  practically  com- 
plete the  Roils. 

The  list  of  soldiers  for  1779  as  given  above  contains  the 
names  and  descriptions  of  only  three  men,  and  thereby 
hangs  a  tale: 

On  Sept.  6,  1779  it  was  "voted  to  send  a  pertision  to  the 
General  Cort  to  geet  a  part  of  our  stait  taks  abaited." 

Feb.  8,  1780,  "Voted  that  the  Sessors  Should  not  make  a 
return  to  Cort  of  the  Assesment." 

Mar.  6,  1780,  "Voted  to  make  the  Rates  that  was  Last 
made,  over  again,  and  leave  out  the  £600  fine." 

Sept.  4, 1781,  "Voted  as  a  Town  to  Defend  the  Assessors 
for  not  Makeing  the  fine  in  the  Last  State  tax  that  we  ware 
fined  for  the  three  Monthsmen." 

A  search  in  the  State  Archives  has  brought  to  light  an  in- 
teresting collection  of  papers  bearing  on  these  and  other 
items  in  the  Town  Records: 

House  Files,  Document  No.  610. 

To  the  honorable  Council  &  house  of  Representatives  of  the 
state  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in  General  Cort  ascembly  a 
petition  of  the  select  men  of  Ware  in  Behalf  of  s:d  town 
humbly  sheweth  your  honours  that  the  town  of  Ware  was 
taxt  five  hondred  &  thirty  six  Pounds  six  Pence  which  was 
laid  on  for  Back  Reeagies  the  Last  Continatial  tax  which 
we  humbly  Beg  you  would  tak  of  from  this  town  as  thair 
is  about  6000  acrs  of  Nonreasidant  Land  which  was  not  in 
our  Power  to  tax  till  late  the  above  s:d  Land  is  owned  By 
Gentlemen  at  a  Distant  how  it  is  said  Refuse  to  sell  which 
is  very  disadvantagous  to  the  town  which  is  one  Reason 
with  maney  others  that  we  are  not  scarsly  able  to  Pay  our 
tax  without  aney  Back  Reeagies  But  wee  hope  wee  shall  be 
able  to  Pay  our  Proportion  of  taxes.  &  send  a  member  to 
Cort  that  shall  Represent  the  sircumstances  of  our  town 
much  Better  then  wee  Can  by  Ritting  if  your  honours  wold 
Consider  this  our  petition  &  grant  us  our  Request  &  so 
your  hombel  petitioners  will  Ever  Pray 

ware  March  2'^  1780 


Sam"i  Densmor 
James  Lamond 
Alexander  Magoon 
Oliver  Coney 
(Endorsement)     Ord^  to  lie,  Mar.  13th,  1780. 


select 
men 
for 
ware 


THE  REVOLUTION  151 

House  Files,  Document  No.  638. 

To  the  honnorable  Counsel  and  house  of  representetives 
for  the  state  of  the  massetusets  bay  in  general  Coart  as- 
sembled, the  pottision  of  william  Brakenridge  for  the  town 
of  ware  humbly  Sheweth  that  theire  is  a  fine  of  Six  hundred 
pounds  added  to  the  last  State  taxt  for  want  of  one  man 
not  being  raised  to  go  into  the  Contenental  army  for  nine 
months  upon  the  orders  of  June  the  Nint  one  thousand 
Sevon  hundred  Seventy  Nine  your  petition  humbly  Sheweth 
that  the  man  was  drafted  and  returned  to  the  muster 
master  and  in  the  four  and  twenty  hours  which  Said  orders 
gave  him  to  provide  a  man  or  pay  a  fine  in:  he  went  off 
and  has  not  been  heard  of  Since  by  me.  we  have  obayed 
your  orders  Complet  which  we  ever  have  done,  and  your 
pottitioner  prayeth  that  Said  fine  may  be  taken  of  from 
Such  a  poor  town  as  Ware,  as  your  potitioner  ever 
prayeth. 
Ware,  March  ye  6'^  1780. 

Capt 
William  Brakenridge  " 

(Endorsement)  This  Petition  is  Conclud"^  To  Remain  for 
Better  avovcher.  Committed  to  the  Committee  on  similar 
Petitions,  Mar.  26,  1780. 

House  Files,  Document  No.  799. 

Commonwelth  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  to  the  Hon- 
ourable the  Sennet  and  house  of  Representives  the  petition 
of  william  Paige  in  behalf  of  the  Town  of  ware  humbly 
Sheweth  that  the  Sed  town  is  find  for  not  porcuring  our 
Coto  of  three  months  men  for  the  year  1780  —  notwith- 
standing wee  porcured  Said  men  for  Nine  pounds  Each 
Stated  or  Beaf  at  twenty  foure  Shillings  a  hundred  —  Ry 
at  foure  shillings  a  Buchel  —  and  have  Lost  the  averidge 
price  threw  the  Sad  State  therefore  wee  trust  you  in  your 
great  wisdom  will  a  Bate  the  fine  and  allow  us  the  averidge 
price  —  as  wee  are  a  people  very  unable  to  pay  our  just 
portion  of  taxes  much  more  that  which  is  unjust  as  we  in 
duty  are  Bound  to  Ever  pray. 
Ware  Sptember  th  10  day  1781 

William  Paige  }f,—e*^ 

(Endorsement)     Col.  Page 

Brig.  Whitney 

M'  Fiske  withdraw 


152  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Papers  accompanying  Chap.  119,  Resolves  of  1787. 

Commonwelth  of  massechusetts 

To  the  Honable  the  Sanet  and  House  of  Representitive 
In  General  Court  assembled 

the  petition  of  Daniel  Goold  In  the  behalf  of  the  Town  of 
Ware  Humbly  Sheweth  that  the  Honable  General  Court  In 
the  year  1779  Did  order  that  the  Town  of  ware  Should  pay 
afine  of  Six  Hundred  pounds  In  Continantal  monay  for  Not 
Sending  aman  Into  the  Continantal  army.  I  would  Inform 
your  Honours  that  the  Town  of  ware  Have  always  ben 
Radey  to  Comply  with  Every  Requisition  of  the  General 
Court,  and  we  being  under  Lowe  Surcumstances  and  Hardly 
put  to  it  to  pay  the  Taxes  which  Now  Ly  against  us,  we 
would  Inform  your  Honours  that  The  Town  of  ware  peti- 
tioned the  General  Court  for  the  abetment  of  Said  fine  In 
the  year  1781  and  the  Honourable  House  of  Representitives 
for  the  Resons  Set  fourth  In  Said  petition  Did  order  that 
the  fine  Should  be  abated  and  the  petition  was  sent  up  to  the 
Honorable  Senate  and  by  Reson  of  it  being  miss  Laid  it 
Cannot  be  found  —  your  petitioner  therefore  prayeth  your 
Honours  to  take  the  Case  Into  your  wise  Consideration  and 
order  that  the  Treasurer  Give  Credit  to  the  Town  on  the 
Execution  that  is  out  against  them  to  the  amount  of  Said 
fine  or  Releive  Said  Towti  In  Sum  other  way  as  your  Honours 
In  your  Grate  wisdom  Shall  See  fit. 

Boston  November  S^  1787 

Daniel  Gould 
(Endorsement)     Nov.  1787  Refer'd 

M'  Hosmer  Deacon  Smith 

M'  Smead  M'  IngersoU 

D' Taylor" 

Papers  accompanying  Chap.  119,  Resolves  of  1787. 

Commonwelth  j  j^  ^^^  ^^^^^  ^^  Representatives 

Massachusetts  )  ^       ' 

on  the  Petition  of  Daniel  Gould  in  behalf  of  the  Town  of 
Ware  praying  for  the  Remittance  of  a  fine  of  Six  Hundred 
pound  Continantal  Mony,  for  the  Deficiancy  of  one  Man 
for  the  Continantal  army  for  the  year  1779. 

Resolved  that  the  Prayer  of  the  Petitioner  be  Granted 
and  that  the  Treauror  is  hearby  Directed  to  Creadet  the 


THE  REVOLUTION  153 

Town  of  Ware  the  Sum  of  Eighteen  Pounds  five  Shilling 
Specea  Agreable  to  the  Consolidation  of  the  above  Said 
Sum  and  for  which  Execution  is  Issued  against  the  Said 
Town  of  Ware." 

March  5,  1781,  Lieutenant  Cummings  was  sent  as  delegate 
to  Hatfield.  The  following  year  Seth  Shaw  was  sent  to  the 
Hadley  Convention  "to  look  into  the  public  affairs  of  the 
County."  In  1783  Lieutenant  Cummings  was  again  sent  "to 
attend  the  convention  at  Elisha  Cook's  at  Hadley."  These 
and  such  like  meetings  fanned  the  sparks  of  discontent  that 
flamed  up  in  "Shays'  Rebellion,"  the  story  of  which,  on  its 
ecclesiastical  side,  has  already  been  told.  The  popularity 
of  that  unfortunate  uprising  was  very  great  in  Ware.  The 
home  of  Joseph  Cummings  was  employed  as  a  depot  for  in- 
surgent supplies,^  and  many  a  Ware  man  marched  with  the 
insurgent  forces. 

In  February,  1787,  the  town  voted  "that  this  town  do  not 
allow  of  any  property  being  bought  and  kept  in  this  town 
as  prizes,  except  the  person  bring  a  receipt  that  possesses 
said  property  from  the  Commander  of  the  department  from 
whence  such  property  is  brought,  that  they  have  a  right  to 
the  same." 

Also  voted  "that  this  town,  as  a  town,  do  not  allow  of  any 
sleighs,  horses  or  persons  being  stopped  on  the  public  roads 
by  any  persons."  The  evident  object  of  these  orders  was  to 
prevent  the  seizure  of  supplies  held  by,  or  intended  for,  the 
insurgent  forces. 

James  Gilmore  is  said  to  have  been  wounded  in  the  thigh 
when  Shays'  men  were  fired  upon  near  the  Springfield 
Arsenal  on  Jan.  25,  1787.  The  pardon  of  Gilmore  for  par- 
ticipating in  the  rebellion,  dated  April  19,  1787,  may  be 
seen  in  the  town  library.  He  was  commissioned  as  Ensign 
in  the  militia  the  15th  of  the  following  April. 

The  list  of  grievances  over  the  state  of  affairs  leading  to 
the  rebellion  is  found  upon  the  Town  Records,  under  date 
of  Jan.  15,  1787. 

1.  The  fee  table  as  it  now  stands. 

2.  The  present  appropriation  of  the  impost  and  excise 
money. 

*  Recollections  of  Benjamia  CummiDgs. 


154  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

3.  The  unreasonable  grants  made  to  some  of  the  officers 
of  government. 

4.  The  supplementary  code. 

5.  The  present  mode  of  paying  government  securities. 

6.  The  present  mode  of  taxation,  as  it  operates  unequally 
betwixt  the  mercantile  and  landed  interest. 

7.  The  want  of  a  medium  of  trade  to  remedy  the  evil 
arising  from  the  scarcity  of  money. 

8.  The  General  Court,  sitting  in  the  town  of  Boston. 

9.  The  suspension  of  the  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus  repealed. 

10.  The  Riot  Act  repealed. 

11.  Voted  to  have  the  Constitution  revised.* 

12.  Voted  to  have  the  C.  C.  Pleas  abolished. 

Voted  to  send  a  petition  to  the  General  Court  for  a  re- 
dress of  grievances,  chose  a  committee  of  five  men  to  make 
a  draft  of  a  Petition,  chose  Isaac  Pepper,  Lieut.  Cummings, 
Mr.  Samuel  Dunsmore,  Capt.  Brakenridge,  and  Mr.  William 
Paige. 

After  the  rebellion  was  crushed  and  order  restored,  an 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  State  Government  was  required  of 
all  town  officials.  This  oath  is  repeated  on  the  records  many 
times,  signed  by  the  officers  of  the  town: 

I,  A.  B.,  do  truly  and  sincerely  acknowledge,  profess, 
testify  and  declare,  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  is 
and  of  right  ought  to  be  a  free,  sovereign  and  independent 
state;  and  I  do  swear,  that  I  will  bear  true  faith  and  alle- 
giance to  the  said  Commonwealth,  and  that  I  will  defend 
the  same  against  traitorous  conspiracies,  and  all  hostile 
attempts  whatsoever,  and  that  I  do  renounce  and  abjure 
all  allegiance  subjection  and  obedience  to  the  king  or  gov- 
ernment of  Great  Britain,  (as  the  case  may  be)  and  every 
other  foreign  prince  whatsoever,  and  that  no  foreign  prince, 
person,  prelate,  state  or  potentate,  hath,  or  ought  to  have, 
any  jurisdiction,  superiority,  pre-eminence,  authority,  dis- 
pensing, or  other  power,  in  any  matter,  civil  ecclesiastical 
or  spiritual  within  this  commonwealth,  except  the  authority 
and  power  which  is  or  may  be  vested  by  their  constituents 
in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  do  further  testify 
and  declare,  that  no  man  or  body  of  men  hath  or  can  have 
any  right  to  absolve  or  discharge  me  from  the  obligation 

'  Ware  previously  refused  to  ratify  the  State  Constitution  unless  with  con- 
siderable amendment. 


THE  REVOLUTION  155 

of  this  oath,  declaration  or  affirmation,  and  that  I  do  make 
this  acknowledgment,  profession,  testimony,  declaration, 
denial,  renunciation  and  abjuration  heartily  and  truly,  ac- 
cording to  the  common  meaning  and  acceptation  of  the  fore- 
going words,  without  any  equivocation,  mental  evasion  or 
secret  reservation,  whatsoever.    So  help  me  God." 

On  Dec.  26,  1786,  town  meeting  was  adjourned  from  the 
meeting-house  to  Nye's  tavern,  to  listen  in  comfort  to  the 
reading  of  an  address  from  the  General  Court  to  the  people 
of  Massachusetts.  This  address,  dated  Nov.  15,  1786,  was 
of  considerable  length,  and  treated  of  the  unfortunate  con- 
ditions of  the  times,  urging  patience  upon  the  citizens,  and 
cooperation  with  the  laws  of  the  land.  The  address  sets 
forth  the  financial  condition  of  Massachusetts  in  great 
detail,  declaring  the  public  debt  both  necessary  and  just. 
The  General  Court  deprecates  the  recent  disorders,  and 
warns  the  people  against  their  repetition.  It  declares  that 
further  outbreaks  can  but  increase,  not  lighten,  the  burden 
of  the  State. 

The  debt  of  the  Commonwealth  is  stated  to  be  £1,326, 
448„18„2.  The  national  foreign  debt  £2,365,525„10„0. 
The  national  domestic  debt,  due  for  war  expenses,  £8,100, 
000.    Massachusetts'  proportion  of  the  national  debt  is: 

Foreign    £    353,925„7„0. 
Domestic    1,162,200„6„0. 

Twelve  hundred  copies  of  the  address  were  ordered  to  be 
printed,  a  copy  to  be  sent  to  every  minister  and  town  clerk. 
Ministers  were  directed  to  read  the  same  on  Thanksgiving 
Day  to  their  respective  assemblies  immediately  after  divine 
service,  or  to  call  a  special  lecture.  Clerks  were  directed  to 
read  it  at  the  next  town  meeting. 

At  the  close  of  the  reading  the  meeting  at  Nye's  tavern 
adjourned  without  comment. 

A  few  miscellaneous  items  are  found  in  various  records : 

1757.  Voted  John  Downing  to  provide  a  law  book. 
Evidently  it  was  not  done,  for  in  1758  it  was 
Voted  to  raise  money  to  provide  a  Law  Book. 
1764.  Voted  to  buy  a  buring  Cloath. 


156  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

1770.  Voted  that  Dec.  Mavreck  Smith  Shuld  provid  a 
cushin  and  a  buring  Cloath. 

1772.  Voted  to  Raise  £2  for  Purchising  a  Chushing  and 
Buring  Cloth.  Voted  that  Wm.  Breakenridge  Should  pro- 
vide the  above  menchened  Artecals. 

1803.  Voted  that  the  Selectmen  take  care  of  the  Town 
Plough. 

1806.  Nathaniel  B.  Anderson  an  order  for  Jinn  for  the 
Widow  Reed,  34  cts.     [The  Widow  Reed  was  a  town  charge.] 

1809.  Voted  that  the  Town  provide  powder  to  blow  the 
rocks  on  the  paraid. 

1810.  "Joel  Mayo,  an  order  for  rum  delivered  Dn.  Gould 
when  working  on  the  paraid,  and  necessaries  for  J.  Bucking- 
ham's wife  —  $6.42." 

1812.  "Jonathan  Maynard  an  order  for  making  a  coffin 
for  Barritt's  child  —  .75." 

1814.  "  Alpheus  Demond,  an  order  for  rye,  pork  and  coffin 
$22.33." 

1824.  "An  order  to  Patty  Lombard  for  breaking  her  leg  — 
$200.00." 

In  January,  1825,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  petition 
the  Legislature  to  change  the  name  of  the  town  to  Water- 
ford,  —  probably  after  the  city  of  that  name  in  Ireland.  At 
the  March  meeting  the  same  committee  was  appointed  to 
select  a  name,  and  petition  the  next  Legislature  for  a  change. 
The  project,  however,  was  dropped. 

The  War  of  1812 

During  the  years  following  the  Revolution,  military  mat- 
ters were  not  neglected.  The  militia  organizations  were 
active,  and  parades  and  trainings  were  of  regular  occur- 
rence. There  are  also  frequent  orders  given  by  the  select- 
men for  powder  and  lead,  for  running  bullets  and  for  mak- 
ing cartridges. 

Information  concerning  Ware's  part  in  the  War  of  1812 
has  heretofore  been  meagre,  but  the  discovery  of  "The 
Orderly  Book  of  Capt.  Ephraim  Scott's  Company  of  Infan- 
try, Ware,  May,  1811  —  Attest  James  Brakenridge  Clerk," 
gives  us,  with  what  has  been  culled  from  other  sources,  a 
remarkably  full  history  of  the  military  doings  of  the  period. 


THE  OLD   TAVERN   BUILDING 

Erected  in  18H  and  removed  to  give  place 
to  Hitchcock's  Block.  Before  it  Lafayette 
paused  to  receive  the  greetings  of  the  citizens 
when  he  passed  through  the  toicn  in  182^. 


WAR  OF   1812  157 

The  first  entry  of  importance  in  Captain  Scott's  book  is 
as  follows: 

"Regimental  orders,  May  9,  1812  of  the  5th  regiment 
now  called  the  3d  and  first  Brigade  and  4th  Division  of 
Militia.  Agreeable  to  regimental  orders  of  May  9th  there 
is  to  be  detached  from  Capt.  Ephraim  Scott's  Company  one 
Sergeant,  one  Drummer,  and  five  privats.  In  obedience  to 
the  within  orders  there  is  detached  from  this  Company 
Sergeant  Isaac  Pepper,  John  T.  Gibs  Drummer, 


Barnerd  Brown 
Ruben  Lazell 
David  Gilmore 
Jonathan  Harwood 
Russell  Lazell 


>  Privates 


On  July  7  of  the  same  year,  another  detachment  being 
ordered  of  six  privates,  the  following  were  detached: 

Thomas  Brown        Thomas  Sherman      Thomas  Howard 
Thomas  Patrick       Aaron  Marsh  Benjamin  Davis 

It  is  probable  that  the  military  activities  of  these  men  were 
slight,  and  that  they  saw  no  fighting.  The  fact  is  that  the 
War  was  not  popular  in  Massachusetts,  and  men  from  this 
State  took  little  or  no  part  in  it  during  the  first  two  years. 
The  Federal  party  denounced  the  War  as  destructive  of  our 
growing  commerce,  and,  falling  back  on  the  doctrine  of  States 
Rights,  Governor  Strong  refused  to  call  out  the  militia  even 
at  the  requisition  of  President  Monroe.  When,  however,  in 
1814,  the  enemy  appeared  before  Boston  Harbor,  the  Gov- 
ernor's policy  changed.  He  called  out  the  State  troops, 
and  made  ready  for  the  defence  of  towns  and  cities  on 
the  coast. 

Under  date  of  Sept.  11,  1814,  we  find  recorded  in  Cap- 
tain Scott's  Orderly  Book  the  most  important  entry  of 
the  period: 

"Agreeable  to  Division  Brigade  and  Regimental  Orders 
there  was  detached  from  Capt.  Scott's  Company  one  Capt. 
one  Sergeant  one  Drummer  and  twenty  four  privates. 


158  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Eph™  Scott  Capt. 

Allender  Brakenridge  Sergt. 

Pliineahas  Convass  Drummer. 
Abel  Daman  James  Lamberton  2d 

Albijence  King  Reuben  Lazell 

Andrew  Harwood  Reuben  Lamberton 

Cyrus  Cole  Samuel  Gould 

Darius  Eaton  Samuel  Laman  Jr 

Downing  Gould  Thomas  Sherman 

David  Watkins  Thomas  Snell 

Edward  Pope  Warters  Allen 

Eben  Cutter  Samuel  Wilson 

Joseph  Simonds  Foster  Marsh 

Jonathan  Maynerd  Isaac  Osburn 

John  Bears  Benj"*  Lewis 

The  above  Detachment  was  made  September  the  eleventh 
A.  D.  1814.    Attest  James  Brakenridge  Clerk." 

The  selectmen  record  several  orders  of  a  military 
character : 

Oct.  24, 1814  Simeon  Cummings  for  a  cartridge  box  $  1.00 
Nathan  Snell  for  a  gun  11.00 
Calvin  Morse,  beef  for  the  soldiers  8.16 
James  Cargill,  baking  for  the  soldiers  2.65 
James  Cargill  for  carrying  the  baggage  18.00 
Joseph  Cummings  for  onions  and  bak- 
ing bread  for  the  soldiers  2.50 

Nov.  7, 1814   John  Osborn,  making  cartridges  2.10 

Jan.  2,  1815    James  Brakenridge,  beef  for  the  sol- 
diers 5.50 

Feb.  15,  1815  Eli  Snow,  for  goods  for  soldiers  2.19 

At  the  March  meeting,  1815,  it  was  "Voted  that  $4.00  per 
man  be  given  the  Militia  that  were  detached  and  did  serve 
in  defense  of  the  state  from  this  town  last  fall."  The  pay- 
ments recorded  under  this  order  dribbled  along  up  into 
1817. 

Hostilities  ceased  soon  after  the  beginning  of  1815,  but 
payments  for  military  supplies  continue  for  a  number  of 
years.  Aug.  28,  1815,  Benjamin  Paige  receives  $20  for 
powder,  and  in  September  Thomas  Snell  for  mending  a  gun 
$1.     There  are  also  frequent  orders  for  making  cartridges. 


WAR  OF   1812  159 

A  review  of  the  Company  was  ordered  for  May  2,  1815, 
"with  arms  and  equipment,"  with  the  following  abstract  of 
the  return: 


Captains 

1 

Se.  &  belts 

71 

Lieut. 

1 

Flints 

146 

Ensign 

1 

Wire  &  brushes 

64 

Serjeants 

4 

Cartridges  &  balls 

1326 

Drums  &  fifes 

7 

Knapsacks 

78 

Rank  &  file 

99 

Rifles 

8 

Muskets 

72 

Balls 

188 

Bayonets 

71 

Pounds  of  Powder 

5^ 

Cartridge  Boxes 

66 

Pounds  of  lead 

73^ 

Iron  rods 

72 

Captain  Scott's  command  lasted  until  Aug.  18,  1815,  at 
which  time  he  received  his  discharge,  Lieut.  Benjamin 
Paige  being  elected  to  succeed  him  as  captain  of  the  militia. 

The  story  is  related  that  Allender  Brakenridge  was  once 
asked  the  date  of  Captain  Scott's  commission  with  a  view  of 
fixing  his  seniority.  Brakenridge  replied  "that  he  was  un- 
able to  say,  but  he  had  heard  that  Captain  Scott  was 
Orderly  Sergeant  under  Pontius  Pilate." 

Captain  Scott  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the  town  for  a  long 
period  of  years.  His  commanding  oflBcer  in  the  War  of  1812 
was  Lieut.-Col.  Enos  Foote,  and  his  term  of  actual  service 
was  from  Sept.  13  to  Nov.  1,  1814. 

Revolutionary  soldiers  whose  graves  have  been  marked  by 
S.  A.  R.  markers  at  Ware  Centre: 

In  the  Church  Yard 

Eli  Ayres  d.  Feb. 

Judah  Marsh  Private  "  May 

Andrew  Harwood  '*         "   Feb. 

Wm.  Breckenridge  Capt.     "  Feb. 

In  the  Cemetery  on  the  Hill 

Jonathan  Foster        Private  d.  Nov.   24,  1805 

Phille  Morse  Drum.   "  Mar.   20,  1825     ae.  80 

Thomas  Andrews       Sergt.     "  June    13,  1815      "   87 


20, 

1840 

ae. 

,82 

9, 

1801 

<< 

89 

23, 

1823 

(( 

80 

16, 

1807 

(< 

84 

160  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

John  Andrews  d.  Apr.    24,  1823  ae.  61 

John  Gardner  "   Oct.     27,  1828  "  61 

Joseph  Gray  "  Feb.     15,  1821  *'  89 

Sam.  Sherman  "   Jan.     29,  1811  "  88 

Jos.  Cummings  Lieut.     "   June    29,  1826  "  73 

James  Lamberton  "  Jan.     12,  1841  '*  79 

Jonathan  Marsh        Private "   Apr.     16,  1838  "  86 
Abraham  Cummings  1  Lt.           no  monument 

Jacob  Lazell  Private "   Apr.     10,  1828  "  73 

Oliver  Coney  Captain"  Dec.    13,  1830  "  81 


v^HJ.n  :\A.Avr'.>\'.TT^ 


THE  NARROWS"  IN  GRENVILLE  PARK 
Here  the  Hadley  Path  crossed  the  Ware  River 


THE  LAMBERTON  HOUSE 
Built  before  1800  near  the  point  where  the 
Boston   Post  Road  crossed   Ware  River.     The 
hoiuie  stands  some  three  hundred  yards  above 
the  old  ford-way. 


VIII 

Roads  and  Bridges 

Nothing  is  more  important  in  the  development  of  a  town 
than  its  system  of  roads.  To  trace  the  growth  of  the  road 
system,  unless  contemporaneous  maps  are  available,  is  a 
most  intricate  process  for  several  reasons.  In  the  first  place 
it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  roads  existed  long  before  they 
were  in  anysense  formal  highways.  Paths  through  the  woods 
made  by  the  Indians,  and  runs  traversed  in  the  earliest 
times  by  deer  and  other  wild  animals  were  adopted  by  the 
settlers  as  bridle-paths,  to  be  gradually  developed  into 
wood-roads  and  cart- tracks.  We  read  of  "Natural  roads  " 
along  the  streams  or  over  the  hills  that  later  were  improved 
and  laid  out  as  highways.  In  the  second  place,  formally 
accepted  highways  were  by  no  means  permanent.  The 
old  records  abound  in  discontinuations  and  changes  of  loca- 
tion, as  well  as  in  the  acceptance  of  others  newly  surveyed. 
Carelessness  in  nomenclature,  and  reckoning  from  transitory 
landmarks  further  complicate  the  subject.  Probably  the 
earliest  road  through  this  territory  ran  approximately  east 
and  west,  and  was  used  as  a  thoroughfare  long  before  an 
acre  of  town  land  was  owned  by  a  private  individual. 

Historians  are  pretty  well  agreed  that  there  were  two 
main  routes  of  travel  east  and  west  through  the  Province  of 
Massachusetts,  both  following  the  route  of  ancient  Indian 
trails.  These  were  the  Hadley  Path  and  the  Bay  Path. 
One  who  is  familiar  with  the  literature  on  the  subject  ^ 
describes  these  paths  as  follows: 

The  Bay  Path,  so  called  from  its  destination  on  the 
coast,  and  since  celebrated  in  song  and  story,  was  perhaps 
the  most  famous  of  these  narrow  threads  of  communica- 
tion between  the  river  and  the  ocean.  We  learn  that  it 
was  laid  out  in  1673,  following  substantially  a  great  trail  of 
the  savages  from  Boston  or  Shawmut  as  they  called  it  and 

^H.  K.  Hyde,  Study  Club  Address. 


162  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

passing  through  Watertown,  Wayland  and  Marlborough  to 
Worcester.  Thence  it  led  to  Brookfield,  following  the  Qua- 
baug  River  and  the  present  line  of  the  Boston  &  Albany 
R.  R.  to  the  vicinity  of  Indian  Orchard,  when  it  bore  away 
from  the  Chicopee  River  and  entered  Springfield  by  what  is 
still  called  the  "Old  Bay  Road"  and  Bay  and  State  streets, 
passing  near,  and  perhaps  partly  over,  the  ground  now 
occupied  by  the  United  States  Armory  and  Arsenal.  "The 
streams  were  crossed  at  natural  ford-ways,  a  large  tree  was 
thrown  across  for  foot  travel,  and  later  two  trees  laid  side 
by  side  and  covered  with  split  timbers  formed  a  bridge  for 
saddle  and  pack  horses."  At  West  Brookfield  it  diverged 
from  Pynchon's  Path  to  Springfield,  which  passed  through 
Brimfield  near  Steerage  Rock,  and  also  from  what  was 
known  as  the  Hadley  Path  marked  out  soon  after  1660. 
The  latter  antedates  the  Bay  Path  by  about  a  dozen  years, 
and  "ran  from  Old  Hadley  to  Quabaug  connecting  the  two 
settlements  socially  and  commercially.  It  was  the  military 
road  during  King  Philip's  War  and  continued  the  main  line 
of  travel  between  the  two  points  for  nearly  a  century.  It 
started  from  the  plain  on  which  West  Brookfield  Village 
now  stands,  ran  by  the  southwesterly  corner  of  Wekabaug 
Pond,  thence  in  a  northwesterly  direction  to  near  the  north- 
east corner  of  Warren,  thence  directly  over  the  top  of  Coy's 
Hill,  where  was  the  famous  Rich's  Tavern,  crossed  the  Ware 
River  a  short  distance  above  the  falls,  where  the  Otis  Com- 
pany's dam  now  stands,  thence  through  Ware  Town  Valley 
to  the  Swift  River,  Belchertown,  Hadley  and  Northampton." 
Traces  of  this  road  are  still  visible  on  the  lower  side  of  the 
Gilbertville  road  near  the  junction  with  the  Warren  road, 
showing  where  it  ran  to  the  river.  I  find  mention  of  one 
other  through  path,  the  exact  location  of  which  I  am  unable 
to  give.  It  was  a  continuation  of  what  was  known  as 
the  Nashaway  trail  leading  from  Lancaster  to  the  Great 
Falls  of  the  Connecticut  River  as  the  site  of  the  city  of 
Holyoke  was  then  called.  It  kept  on  the  easterly  side  of 
Ware  River  by  way  of  the  Indian  villages  previously  spoken 
of  to  Pottaquattuck  Pond  (now  known  as  Forest  Lake), 
where  it  crossed  the  river  at  the  well-known  ford-way, 
thence  following  a  westerly  course  through  Bondsville,  Lud- 
low and  Chicopee. 

The  earliest  settlers  followed  largely  the   Indian   trails, 
and  the  Hadley  Path  described  above  became  an  import- 


ROADS  AND  BRIDGES  1G3 

ant  road,  in  fact  the  most  important  road  in  the  economy 
of  our  town,  passing  directly  through  Ware  from  east  to 
west.  It  may  still  be  traced  through  nearly  its  whole  length. 
Starting  westward  from  the  lower  end  of  Wekabaug  Pond 
it  passed  southerly  of  the  present  highway  through  the 
fields  and  up  the  slope  of  Coy's  Hill  in  almost  a  straight 
line.  The  stone  walls  bordering  it  when  a  highway  are  still 
in  place  for  a  long  distance  at  the  top  of  the  hill.  On  the 
west  side  it  descended  past  the  old  Coney  place,  turning 
somewhat  to  follow  the  valley  of  a  small  brook  where  the 
Warren  road  leads  down  towards  Ware  River,  then  to  the 
Narrows  and  across  into  Grenville  Park,  whence  its  route 
may  be  traced  through  the  grove  straight  toward  Highland 
Street,  a  portion  of  which  is  built  on  the  old  road-bed ;  there 
crossing  Muddy  Brook  at  about  the  middle  of  Snow's  Pond  ^ 
it  may  be  picked  up  again  on  the  west  side,  and  still  again 
at  the  foot  of  the  steep  hill  that  leads  up  past  the  cellar-hole 
of  the  pest-house,  whence  it  ran  through  the  Centre  past  the 
meeting-house,  and  on  to  Swift  River  Bridge.  It  was  early 
known  as  "the  great  road,"  and  was  laid  out  ten  rods 
wide.2  The  stone  walls  below  the  pest-house  show  the 
original  width  of  the  road  as  well  as  its  location.  West  of 
the  Centre  in  the  Beaver  Brook  Valley  the  road  probably 
forked,  the  lower  route  leading  to  Swift  River  Bridge,  while 
the  northern  crossed  Beaver  Lake  above  the  modern  dam  but 
below  the  ancient  one,  and  led  north-westerly.  The  abut- 
ments of  a  forgotten  bridge  over  Swift  River  may  be  seen 
close  to  the  Ware  and  Enfield  town  line.  Either  here,  or  a  mile 
below,  at  West  Ware,  this  upper  road  crossed  Swift  River. 

The  plat  of  Mr.  Samuel  Prince's  farm  (the  Hollingsworth 
grant)  made  in  1714  shows  a  bit  of  the  Hadley  Road  as  it  led 
through  what  is  now  the  village.  The  bridge  at  the  Narrows 
was  built  undoubtedly  before  the  town  was  settled.  Remains 
of  old  abutments  may  still  be  seen  at  low  water.  Here  un- 
doubtedly Jabez  Omstead  crossed  the  river  coming  from 
Brookfield  in  1729.     An  ancient  cellar-hole  recently  filled 

*  The  abutments  of  the  bridge  were  observed  where  the  old  road  crossed  Muddy 
Brook,  when  the  water  was  last  out  of  the  pond. 

2  So  stated  in  the  survey  of  Jeremiah  Omstead's  original  grant  of  1733.  The 
road  ran  through  his  land  254  rods,  and  10  rods  wide.  His  grant  of  100  acres  was 
exclusive  of  road  and  river. 


1G4  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

up,  traditioniilly  attributed  to  Jabez,  though  it  more  prob- 
ably belonged  to  his  son  Jeremiah,  was  near  the  west  end 
of  the  bridge. 

That  changes  were  made  very  early  is  shown  by  a  deed 
of  Jeremiah  Omstead  of  1738  ^  in  which  is  mentioned  an 
"Old  Bridge  Spot"  and  a  "New  Bridge,"  the  two  being 
some  distance  apart.  The  facts  are  not  easy  to  determine, 
for  the  old  County  Records  do  not  always,  in  referring  to 
bridges,  describe  them  unmistakably.  Several  references 
were  found  to  a  bridge  near  the  house  of  one  Richard  Burk, 
which  could  not  quite  be  reconciled  with  each  other.  Refer- 
ence to  the  court  and  probate  records  showed  that  there 
were  at  least  two,  and  perhaps  three  men  of  that  name  liv- 
ing in  this  vicinity  about  1740.  One  died  in  Ware  River 
Parish  in  1756.  Four  years  earlier  he  was  in  court  for 
obstructing  the  highway  with  a  fence.  He  appears  to  have 
been  a  lessee  on  the  Manour,  as  no  record  is  found  of  his 
having  owned  land.  He  almost  certainly  lived  in  the  south 
part  of  the  town  at  the  point  where  the  road  to  Palmer 
crosses  the  river.  It  is  said  that  a  very  old  house  stood  near 
the  fork  of  the  roads  sixty  years  ago. 

Another  Richard  Burk  was  living  in  Brookfield  in  1740, 
and  his  son,  Richard,  Jr.,  was  at  the  same  time  residing  in 
Quabbin  or  Greenwich.  In  1734  Richard  Burk,  Jr.,  quit- 
claims land  in  Ware  River  supposed  to  be  100  acres,  20  acres 
of  it  being  described  as  "that  on  which  I  now  dwell."  Rich- 
ard Burk  of  Brookfield  appears  to  have  lived  just  east  of 
Ware  River  on  land  annexed  to  Ware  in  1755. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  following  order  of  the 
Court  of  Sessions  of  the  County,  dated  1733,  has  reference 
to  the  bridge  at  the  Narrows: 

This  Court  orders  that  a  good]  Substantial  Cart  Bridge 
be  built  over  Ware  River  in  the  Road  from  Hadley  to  Brook- 
field across  s^  River  a  little  below  the  house  of  Richard 
Burk  —  and  Elea'  Porter  and  Timothy  Dwight  Esq.  are 
desired  &  directed  to  take  care  to  have  s*^  Bridge  erected 
over  s''  River  and  that  they  Improve  some  faithful  workman 
to  effect  y"  same,  and  the  s*^  Bridge  to  be  built  at  the  charge 
of  the  County  of  Hampshire. 

^  Springfield  Registry. 


ROADS  AND   BRIDGES  1G5 

Another  court  record  of  1736,  describing  the  road  between 
Hadley  and  Brookfield,  mentions  several  unmistakable 
landmarks: 

.  .  .  Turning  Northeast  where  the  s^  New  Rode  is 
marked  up  to  Jabez  umsteed  House  and  along  where  the 
Road  now  goes  up  to  the  Great  Bridge  over  Ware  River 
towards  Richard  Burks  House  a  little  south  of  it  and  so  up 
Coy's  hill  in  the  New  Cart  Road  to  Brookfield  West  Line. 

The  bridge  at  the  Narrows  was  *'the  Great  Bridge,"  and 
the  Hadley  Path  has  reached  the  dignity  of  a  "New  Cart 
Road  to  Brookfield." 

Naturally  this  bridge  went  the  way  of  all  perishable 
things,  and  in  less  than  twenty  years  another  order  of  the 
same  court  became  necessary. 

Court  of  Sessions,  1751. 

The  Court  being  informed  that  y^  bridge  at  Ware  River 
in  the  Country  road  was  fallen  down,  and  there  was  an  ab- 
solute necessity  for  a  new  one,  ordered  that  there  be  a  new 
Bridge  built  as  soon  as  may  be,  that  there  be  a  box  fitted  in 
the  middle  of  the  river  and  string  pieces  from  y^  abutments 
to  y^  s'^  Box,  and  that  there  be  paid  out  of  y^  County  Treas- 
ury six  pounds,  thirteen  shillings  and  four  pence  lawful 
money  toward  it,  and  Coll°  Porter  is  desired  and  directed 
to  see  it  done  as  soon  as  may  be. 

Again  in  1763  we  find  this  record: 

On  account  of  the  charges  of  building  Ware  River 
Bridge  being  presented  to  the  Court  amounting  to  £51,, 
18„8,  the  same  was  allowed  and  payment  ordered  to  be 
made  to  Eleazer  Porter  Esq.  to  be  received  by  him  and  paid 
to  the  persons  employed. 

The  bridge  of  1757,  paid  for  as  above,  apparently  did  not 
stand  as  it  should,  for  in  1765  the  inhabitants  of  Ware 
petition : 

That  ye  bridge  over  Ware  River  in  ye  county  af ores'*  & 
in  s^  WWe  now  is  &  long  has  been  down  &  out  of  repair 
and  that  by  reason  of  poverty  and  the  great  charge  they  are 
necessarily  at  in  making  &  repairing  the  public  roads  in  y^ 


166  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

s"^  Ware  (considerable  part  of  wh  is  newly  laid  out  &  puts 
y^  s*^  inhabitants  to  great  charge  and  costs  to  make  feasible) 
and  are  utterly  unable  to  repair  y^  bridge  aforesaid  without 
y^  aid  &  assistance  of  this  county  they  therefore  pray  such 
relief  may  be  given  them  in  y  premises  as  this  court  shall 
think  reasonable  —  and  as  in  duty  etc. 

Court  ordered  £20  to  be  granted  as  aid  "to  encourage 
inhab^  of  Ware  to  build  a  bridge  over  s^  river  in  y^  old 
Country  R*^  in  y^  place  where  y^  former  Bridge  stood." 

Of  the  Hadley  Road  as  a  whole,  through  the  centre  of  the 
town,  the  following  record,  dated  1763,  is  of  interest  as 
picturing  times  and  conditions: 

The  Grand  Jurors  for  the  Lord  the  King  for  the  body 
of  the  County  of  Hampshire  do  on  their  oaths  Present  that 
the  Common  High  Way  of  the  said  Lord  the  King  leading 
from  Swift  River  Bridge  so  called  in  the  District  of  Ware 
in  said  County  to  the  East  Line  of  the  said  District  of  Ware 
being  the  Space  of  Six  miles  and  the  whole  breadth  thereof 
being  the  space  of  Six  rods  ^  on  the  first  day  of  August  last 
past  was,  ever  since  has  been  and  now  is  out  of  Repair  and 
founderous  miry  and  Rocky  for  Want  of  a  due  reparation 
and  amendment  thereof  so  that  the  liege  Subjects  of  the 
said  Lord  the  King  cannot  pass  on  the  same  Way  without 
great  Danger  and  Difficulty.  And  said  Jurors  on  their 
Oaths  further  say  that  the  Inhabitants  of  the  sd  District 
of  Ware  by  a  Law  of  this  province  in  such  Cases  provided 
ought  and  are  holden  to  repair  the  said  High  Way  so  often 
as  the  same  stands  in  need  of  Repair,  but  neglect  and  re- 
fuse to  repair  the  same  Contrary  to  a  Law  of  this  province 
in  such  Cases  made  and  provided  the  Peace  of  ye  sd  Lord 
the  King  and  to  the  Common  Nuisance  of  all  his  Majesty's 
liege  subjects  passing  thro'  ye  sd  Way  —  Which  Present- 
ment was  made  at  the  last  Term  of  this  Court  and  signed 
John  Hawks  foreman  — 

And  now  the  said  Inhabitants  upon  summons  of  them 
by  a  Deputy  Sheriff  for  this  purpose  by  Jacob  Cummings 
Gent,  their  Agent  come  before  sd  Court  and  being  put  to 
plead  and  answer  to  the  premises  They  here  freely  declare 
that  they  will  not  Contend  with  the  King  but  submit  them- 
selves to  his  Grace  — 

It  is  therefore  Considered  by  the  Court  that  the  sd  In- 

^  Width  given  as  ten  rods  in  the  Proprietors'  Records. 


'.  11^  VI 


b^ 


VIEW  OF  WARE  IN  188^. 
View  taken  in  ISSJ^  from  the  upper  tower  of 
the  Otis  Company.  The  Harticell  house,  one 
of  the  earliest  houses  huiU  in  the  village,  was 
replaced  in  1888  by  Trinity  Church.  The 
tower  of  the  East  Church  is  seen  in  the  distance. 


ROADS  AND  BRIDGES  167 

habitants  of  Ware  aforesd  for  their  Offense  aforesd  do  pay  a 
fine  of  Twenty  Shilb  to  be  to  his  Majesty  and  Cost  of  Prose- 
cution taxed  at  two  pounds  eleven  Shillings  &  Ex'eon  is 
awarded  accordingly  —  It  is  also  further  Considered  that  a 
Distraign  go  against  the  said  Inhabitants  until  the  same 
High  Way  be  effectually  repaired  — 

f  Ex°  for  ye  fine  & 

\  Cost  iss'd  4th  oct.  1763 

As  the  Hadley  Road  crossed  Muddy  Brook  running 
westerly  it  undoubtedly  branched,  one  fork  turning  south 
and  following  the  direction  of  the  brook  a  little  way  up  the 
hill.  It  crossed  West  Main  Street  a  few  rods  beyond  the 
bridge,  and  entered  Palmer  Road  a  short  distance  this  side 
of  the  old  "cemetery  on  the  plain." 

On  the  high  land  just  back  of  the  first  house  beyond  the 
bridge  on  West  Street  is  an  old  cellar-hole  which  tradition 
declares  to  have  belonged  to  the  first  tavern  in  Ware,  kept 
by  John  Downing,  and  licensed  first  in  the  year  1754.  The 
course  of  the  old  road  may  still  be  readily  traced  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  cellar-hole.  From  this  point  it  appar- 
ently followed  Palmer  Road  to  Gibbs'  Crossing,  then  turned 
more  westerly,  past  the  Babcock  Tavern  (which  is  modern, 
though  an  earlier  inn  stood  on  higher  ground  nearly  a  mile 
to  the  westward  in  1763),  and  so  on  over  Swift  River 
Bridge. 

This  bridge  over  Swift  River  was  in  place  when  the  Read 
Manour  was  first  surveyed.  In  1728  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  at  Springfield  allowed  £10, ,13  to  Thomas  Baker  of 
Brookfield  for  time  and  expenses  in  building  or  mending  this 
bridge. 

The  main  artery  of  the  Bay  Path  passed  through  the 
southerly  portion  of  Palmer,  following  the  Quabog  River, 
which  it  crossed  twice,  once  on  entering  the  Elbow  Tract, 
and  again  on  leaving  it.  A  more  northerly  branch  left  the 
main  artery  near  West  Warren,  crossed  the  southern  slopes 
of  Coy's  Hill,  and  led  through  the  south-westerly  portion  of 
Ware  to  the  bridge  over  Swift  River,  a  mile  and  a  half  or 
two  miles  above  the  southern  boundary  of  the  town.  Thus 
it  may  be  seen  that  the  Bay  Road  and  the  Hadley  Road 
crossed  Swift  River  at  the  same  point,  to  diverge  again  on 


168  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

the  western  bank,  the  one  toward  Springfield,  the  other 
toward  Hadley. 

The  Country  Records  at  Northampton  refer  to  this  road, 
as  it  approaches  Swift  River,  as  the  Bay  Road,  —  with  a 
question  mark.  It  is  also  called,  on  the  map  of  1795,  the 
Post  Road  to  Boston,  and  is  otherwise  named  the  County 
Road,  and  the  Country  Road.  How  early  this  route  was 
travelled  cannot  easily  be  determined.  It  followed  the  an- 
cient Indian  trail,  employing  the  ford- way  for  crossing  the 
river.  As  early  as  1733  William  Scott  was  keeping  a  tavern 
near  this  spot,  described  in  a  petition  for  a  license  renewal 
as  "especially  convenient  for  assistance  for  crossing  the 
river  at  difficult  seasons." 

In  1751  the  Court  ordered  "that  Coll°  Dwight  and  Coll^ 
Williams  be  a  committee  to  build  a  bridge  over  Swift  River 
as  soon  as  may  be  at  the  charge  of  the  County,  and  that 
y«  Committee  be  directed  to  examine  whether  a  shorter 
road  may  not  be  obtained  for  the  use  of  travellers  without 
purchase  of  land." 

In  1753  we  find  the  following  order  of  the  Court  of 
Sessions : 

Ordered  by  y^  Court  that  there  be  paid  to  y^  committee 
toward  building  a  bridge  at  Ware  River  near  Scott's  £26,, 
13,, 2,  lawful  money. 

Joseph  Scott,  in  1752,  acquired  the  lease  of  200  acres  lying 
on  both  sides  of  the  river  just  above  where  it  crosses  the 
Palmer  line. 

The  abutments  of  an  old  bridge  may  still  be  seen  below  the 
most  westerly  of  the  Lamberton  houses,  now  owned  by 
George  F.  Brown.  Some  three  hundred  yards  down  the 
river  is  an  ancient  ford-way,  and  a  second  ford-way  below 
that. 

The  time  had  come  for  a  less  difficult  route  through 
W^are  than  the  Hadley  Road  over  the  top  of  Coy's  Hill. 
Such  a  route  was  surveyed  for  the  County  by  Nathaniel 
Dwight  in  1769.  It  is  described  as  leading  "from  the  line 
of  the  County  a  little  east  of  Isaac  Merritt's  across  the 
south  of  Coy's  Hill  to  the  County  Road  in  Ware  a  little 
south-west  of  Rice's  house." 


ROADS  AND  BRIDGES  169 

The  Commissioners  "met  June  28,  1769,  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Jonathan  Rogers,  Inn-holder  in  Ware,  and  measured 
the  way  proposed  from  Robert  Brown's  field  round  by 
Jonathan  Roger's  to  Rice's,  and  to  the  point  of  the  hill 
south-west  of  said  Rice's  where  we  proposed  to  come  to  the 
Road,  and  from  there  up  to  Brown's  field,  across  the  bow 
of  Ware  River,  and  found  the  way  by  Roger's  165  rods 
furthest,  and  were  fully  satisfied  that  across  the  bow  of  the 
river  was  the  best  way,  not  only  shortest  but  most  even 
feasible  ground."  Then  we  went  to  Western  Line  which  is 
y^  East  line  of  y^  County. 

The  specifications  follow  in  detail. 

Then  "we  crossed  the  river  West  12°  North,  54  poles  to 
the  Old  Road  .  .  .  where  the  road  turns  round  the  South 
point  of  the  hill  beyond  Richard  Burke's  old  possession 
where  we  ended  the  road  we  were  to  lay  out." 

The  problem  for  the  Commissioners  was  not  as  difficult  as 
it  has  proved  for  their  interpreter.  What  they  did  was  this : 
They  started  at  a  point  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
north-west  of  Shaw's  Tavern,  as  it  is  now  called,  and  meas- 
ured the  old  road  (now  discontinued)  which  led  down  past 
the  Newland  farm  and  across  the  river  at  or  near  the  two- 
mile  bridge,  then  westerly  past  Rogers's  Inn  about  as  the 
road  now  runs,  continuing  on  to  the  bow  of  the  river. 

Then  crossing  the  river  at  the  bow  they  went  straight 
through  the  meadow,  along  the  line  of  Bacon  Street  and  so 
up  the  hill  to  their  starting  point  at  Brown's  field. 

This  latter  route  was  found  to  be  better,  and  more  than 
half  a  mile  shorter  than  the  first  route  measured.  Then 
they  continued  up  the  hill  past  McMaster's  house,  which 
was  afterwards  built  over  into  the  Shaw  Tavern  now  stand- 
ing. Then  past  Merritt's  ^  spring,  which  has  kept  its  name 
to  this  day  (it  lies  a  few  rods  away  from  the  road  as  it  now 
runs),  and  so  to  Western  line,  the  line  of  the  county. 

The  route  thus  laid  out  was  not  a  new  one,  but  it  now 
becomes  a  county  road,  Nathaniel  Dwight's  survey  being 
accepted  by  the  county.    Two  years  later  the  bridge  ques- 

^  An  interesting  tradition  has  survived  in  regard  to  Merritt's  house  which  stood 
near  the  spring.  One  night,  a  hundred  years  ago  or  more,  the  entire  family  of  ten 
or  twelve  were  asleep  in  their  beds,  when  a  great  wind  blew  the  roof  from  the  house 
and  carried  it  two  miles  away  to  Coy's  Hill,  without  hurting  a  single  occupant  of 
the  house. 


170  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

tion  at  the  bow  of  the  river  was  up,  in  regard  to  which  we 
find  an  interesting  act  of  the  General  Court  of  1771. 

An  act  for  charging  the  County  of  Hampshire  with  cost 
of  erecting  &  maintaining  a  bridge  over  Ware  River  in  the 
district  of  Ware  in  s<^  County  of  Hampshire  lately  laid  out, 
leading  from  the  Great  road  in  s"^  Ware,  called  the  Bay  Road, 
to  the  Great  road  in  Western  —  called  the  Post  Road  from 
Springfield  to  Boston: 

This  road  laid  out  by  order  of  the  Court  of  Sessions  for 
Hampshire  County  .  .  .  whereby  the  steep,  long  and  very 
difficult  hill,  called  Coy's  Hill,  in  the  said  great  road,  called 
the  Bay  Road  ^  is  avoided,  which  will  very  much  facilitate 
the  travelling  from  Hadley  to  Boston  especially  with  car- 
riages. But  as  that  part  of  the  s"^  road  lately  laid  out  .  .  . 
crosses  Ware  River  .  .  .  which  cannot  be  forded  in  many 
seasons  of  the  year  and  therefore  a  bridge  over  the  s^  river 
in  that  part  thereof  is  absolutely  necessary  .  .  .  and  as 
the  inhabitants  of  the  s<*  district  of  Ware  by  reason  of  their 
extreme  and  well  known  poverty,  are  altogether  unable 
either  to  erect  or  maintain  such  a  bridge  .  .  .  Therefore 
.  .  .  the  erecting  and  maintaining  and  upholding  of  a  cart- 
bridge  over  Ware  River  in  the  road  lately  laid  out  in  the 
District  of  Ware  Afors^  shall  be  and  hereby  is  made  a  proper 
county  charge  of  the  s'^  County  of  Hampshire. 

In  1772  a  humble  petition  was  presented  asking  for  fur- 
ther help  from  the  county,  as  alterations  must  be  made  in 
the  approaches  to  the  bridge  on  account  of  changes  in  the 
highway.  "Given  into  the  hands  of  the  Commission  ap- 
pointed at  a  former  term  to  erect  the  bridge  ahovementioned." 

Report  recommends  that  £103, ,0, ,5  be  allowed.  This  was 
ordered,  —  County  Treasurer  to  pay  the  Committee. 

The  Bay  Road,  or  Boston  Post  Road,  followed  this  route 
for  many  years.  Floods  frequently  destroyed  the  bridge, 
and  new  ones  were  built.  A  tradition  states  that  seventy- 
five  or  eighty  years  ago  the  bridge  was  taken  up  in  the  fall 
and  put  down  again  in  the  spring. 

When  the  bridge  just  above  the  village  passed  out  of  use 
we  cannot  say.    The  Omsteads  built,  for  their  own  conven- 

*  The  fart  is  there  has  always  been  confusion  in  referring  to  the  Bay  Road  and 
to  the  Iladley  Road.  It  depended  somewhat  on  the  point  of  view  whether  one 
faced  eastward  toward  the  Bay,  or  westward  toward  Hadley. 


ROADS  AND  BRIDGES  171 

ience,  a  bridge  below  their  mills,  near  where  the  South  Street 
bridge  now  stands.  This  would  somewhat  lessen  the  need 
for  the  one  at  the  old  spot  above  the  falls,  and  very  likely 
it  soon  fell  into  decay.  The  map  of  1795  shows  a  bridge 
about  half  way  between  the  villages  of  Ware  and  Gilbertville, 
at  or  near  the  spot  where  the  iron  bridge  now  stands. 

The  origin  of  this  bridge  is  found  in  the  Town  Records. 
In  1793  there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "to  see  if  the 
town  will  make  any  Incouragement  towards  building  a 
Bridge  over  Ware  River,  so  called,  near  Mr.  W™  Snell's." 
A  committee  was  chosen  to  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting, 
after  having  consulted  with  the  inhabitants  of  New  Brain- 
tree,  and  at  the  adjourned  meeting  the  town  voted  £20 
toward  the  construction  of  the  bridge.  In  the  next  year, 
1794,  a  road  was  laid  out  "from  New  Braintree  line  South 
westerly  to  the  road  called  the  Hawley  (Hadley)  road, 
otherwise  described  as  extending  from  the  Bullen  farm  to 
New  Braintree  line."  This  is  now  the  continuation  of 
Church  Street  beyond  the  reservoir. 

References  to  other  roads,  either  laid  out  or  repaired,  are 
frequent.  Let  it  be  remembered,  however,  that  in  many  in- 
stances they  had  been  travelled  for  years  before  being  re- 
corded.   The  following  are  County  Roads: 

1753  —  From  Swift  River  Bridge  to  Palmer. 

1761  —  Highway  through  Ware  River  to  Greenwich. 
This  ran  through  the  Beaver  Brook  Valley.  The  "Turn- 
pike" was  not  projected  until  many  years  later.  On  Feb. 
20,  1806,  the  town  "voted  to  lay  out  $200  for  the  purpose 
of  carrying  the  Monson  and  Petersham  Turnpike  through 
this  town."  The  money  was  to  be  expended  under  the  direc- 
tion of  an  agent  of  the  town,  and  when  completed  the  road 
was  to  be  given  to  "the  corporation  of  said  Turnpike  road 
provided  they  go  on  and  complete  the  whole  road  as  located 
by  the  committee." 

1761  —  From  Hard  wick  to  Palmer. 

1763  —  From  the  Bay  Road  at  the  top  of  Swift  River 
Hill,  northeasterly  to  the  County  line,  four  rods  wide. 

It  "intersects  the  road  from  Palmer  to  Greenwich,  and  runs 
in  s<^  road  132  rds  .  .  .  crossing  Beaver  Brook  near  where 


172  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

a  saw-mill  formerly  stood  to  a  white  oak  tree  near  the  Meet- 
ing House  .  .  .  past  Capt.  Cumming's  house  .  .  .  crossing 
the  County  Road  from  Palmer  to  Hardwiek  ...  to  Muddy 
Brook  .  .  .  past  Andrew  Rutherford's  ...  to  Ware  River, 
crossing  s'^  river  ...  to  the  east  side  of  the  County." 

This  is  of  interest.  It  seems  to  imply  that  the  mill-pond 
that  figured  so  largely  in  the  Manour  had  been  allowed  to 
drain  off,  and  that  the  mill  had  wholly  disappeared.  The  old 
dam  was  several  rods  north  of  the  modern  dam  destroyed  in 
1907. 

1795  —  Commonwealth  of  Mass.  vs  Inhabitants  of 
Town  of  Ware.  For  suffering  the  Bridge  on  the  post-road 
in  s'^  town  of  Ware  over  the  South  East  parte  of  Swift 
River  to  be  dangerous  to  pass  and  to  be  out  of  repair. 

At  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court  held  at  Northampton,  a 
true  bill  was  found  against  the  Town  of  Ware. 

The  bridge  being  repaired,  I  will  prosecute  on  this  bill 
no  further. 

James  Sullivan 

Attorney  General. 

Town  charged  with  costs  amounting  to  ^5.55. 

1826  —  From  Ware  Factory  north-westerly  to  Enfield. 

Many  alterations  in  the  county  roads  are  recorded,  but 
are  not  of  sufficient  interest  to  be  given  here. 

The  old  road  from  the  Centre  to  Magoon's  Mills  is  that 
one,  now  discontinued,  leading  from  Doane's  to  West  Main 
Street,  just  west  of  Muddy  Brook  Bridge.  This  is  shown  on 
the  map  of  1795.  A  more  southerly  road  from  the  Centre 
led  a  little  way  down  the  brook  in  front  of  the  meeting-house, 
then  crossed  the  brook  (the  old  abutments  now  support  a 
farm  bridge),  and  ran  up  the  hill  past  McManus'  house. 
The  stone  walls  bounding  the  road  are  still  in  place.  From 
the  top  of  the  hill  the  road  appears  to  have  borne  northerly 
until  it  joined  tlie  road  from  Doane's.  The  present  travelled 
road  from  the  Centre  to  the  Village,  long  known  as  the  new 
road,  was  built  not  far  from  seventy  five  years  ago. 

A  large  part  of  the  old  Warren  road  has  been  rebuilt  by 
Mr.  E.  H.  Gilbert  as  a  pleasure  drive.  The  remainder, 
crossing  the  hill,  may  be  readily  followed. 


ROADS  AND   BRIDGES  173 

Besides  the  roads  laid  out  and  maintained  by  the  county, 
the  town  was  continually  extending  its  highway  system. 

1753  —  Voted  and  alowed  a  Rode  from  Hardwick  line,  as 
it  now  goes,  thrue  Ebenezer  Spooner's  Land,  with  gate  to 
the  Mills  colled  Judah  Marsh's. 

Voted  and  alowed  a  rode  from  Jacob  Cumming's  to  the 
Cap.  Omstead's  mills, ^  and  so  to  the  meeting  house. 

Voted  and  alowed  a  rode  from  Samuel  Davies'  to  the 
mills  colled  Cap.  Omstead's. 

1762  —  Voted  to  Except  the  Highway  from  the  Meten 
Hous  to  the  Line  of  this  District  above  Samuel  Blackemors. 

The  Blackmore  farms  were  in  the  south-east  corner  of  the 
town. 

Voted  to  Except  of  the  High  Way  from  the  meten  hous 
to  Mr.  Thayer's,  and  from  there  to  the  old  mil  on[e]  bever 
brook,  from  there  to  the  County  road. 

This  is  the  road  running  west  from  Ware  Centre  past 
the  foot  of  Brimstone  Hill,  at  which  spot  Rev.  Mr.  Thayer's 
farm  was  situated. 

Voted  to  Except  of  the  Highway  from  the  Meten  Hous 
Southerly  by  marked  trees  to  Daved  Pulsefuss'. 

Voted  to  Except  the  Highway  from  the  Meten  Hous 
to  Hardwick  Lane,  beginning  at  Benjmen  Ramon's 
[Damon's]. 

This  road  was  on  the  east  side  of  Flat  Brook,  crossing 
the  brook  about  a  mile  above  the  meeting-house. 

Voted  to  Except  the  Highway  from  James  McMichel's 
Easterly  to  the  Rod  from  Breckenridge's  to  the  meting  hous, 
which  is  to  be  a  bridl  Rod,  with  Gats  and  bars,  at  present. 

1763  —  Voted  to  Imploy  Cap.  D wight  a  surver  [sur- 
veyor] to  prambelat  the  Lin  with  Grenwich. 

Voted  to  alow  a  highway  from  Ebenezar  Gilbard's  to 
the  County  road. 

This  was  on  the  east  side  of  Ware  River. 

Voted  to  Except  the  roode  from  Nahum  Davis'  to  ye 
Bridg  at  Magun's. 

*  The  Omstead  mills  were  later  the  Magoon  milla. 


174  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Voted  to  have  a  highway  laid  out  from  Ben  Cumming's 
by  Isaac  Magoon's  to  Palmer. 

The  road  west  of  Flat  Brook.  This  was  accepted  in  the 
following  year  and  described  as  "the  highway  from  Palmer 
by  Isael  Magon  to  the  meten  hous  as  it  is  laid." 

1764  —  Voted  to  Except  of  the  highway  from  Joseph 
Paterson's  to  the  Meten  house. 

1765  —  Voted  to  Except  of  the  road  from  Doc.  Damon's 
to  the  mill;  also  from  Doc.  Damon's  to  the  Meten  hous; 
also  from  Jeremiah  Andrson's  to  James  McMichel's  meting 
road. 

It  is  impossible  to  state  when  the  first  bridge  was  built 
across  the  river  below  the  Omstead-Magoon  mills  where  the 
South  Street  Bridge  now  stands.  It  was  probably  built  by 
the  Omsteads  at  the  time  the  mills  were  constructed,  for 
their  own  convenience.  The  earliest  unquestionable  refer- 
ence to  it  is  in  a  deed  of  Jabez  Omstead  to  his  son  Israel  in 
1743. 

In  1768  it  was  voted  to  raise  £40  in  labor  to  build  a  bridge 
over  the  river  at  the  mills,  and  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  take  charge  of  the  work.  £2  was  voted  "to  provid  Rumb 
for  the  raiesing  the  bridge."  Sometime  in  the  winter  the 
work  was  completed,  and  in  the  following  March  accounts 
were  allowed  for  "Bred  met  and  Sider  at  the  Brdg." 

In  1778  an  article  was  placed  in  the  warrant  "to  see 
what  way  the  town  will  Com  in  to  Conserning  repairing  the 
Bridge  by  Magoon's  mill,  as  we  look  upon  it  Dangris  to 
have  it  lie  so  any  longer."  It  was  voted  to  repair  the  bridge 
at  town  cost.  Again  in  1783  it  was  voted  to  rebuild  the 
bridge  where  it  formerly  stood,  at  a  cost  of  £70. 

1769  —  "Excepted  the  Highway  from  Mr.  Jinkens  to  the 
meteing  hows:  Beginning  at  Mr.  Thoms  Jenken's  hows, 
from  there  up  the  Valey  .  .  .  thence  in  the  road  to  Gren- 
wich  .  .  .  thenc  Westely  across  the  plain  to  the  popler 
Bridg."  Also  the  highway  from  "Benjemen  Cumming's 
hows  .  .  .  Northerly  ...  to  the  line  between  Alexander 
Magon  and  Phineahes  Hupom  ...  to  the  New  Bridg." 


THE  SOUTH  STREET  BRIDGE 

This  bridge  replaced  the  old  covered  wooden 
bridge  built,  in  spite  of  universal  protest,  in 
lSH-5.  In  the  distance  is  seen  St.  William's 
Church,  standing  on  Prospect  Hill. 


ROADS  AND  BRIDGES  175 

This  road  is  readily  identified  as  South  Street. 

A  full  account  of  road  changes  and  developments  would 
fill  a  sizable  volume.  Many  were  accepted  by  the  town 
which  were  of  little  or  no  permanent  value  and  could  hardly 
be  identified  today,  the  landmarks  by  which  they  were  de- 
scribed having  disappeared.  Changes  were  made  from  year 
to  year  to  meet  the  needs.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  as 
in  ancient  days  "all  roads  led  to  Rome,"  so  in  our  early  years 
they  led  to  the  meeting-house,  with  only  an  occasional  vari- 
ation to  some  mill.  Bread  must  be  had;  but  Bread  of  Heaven 
came  first. 

A  few  of  the  more  important  developments  in  the  nine- 
teenth century  may  be  briefly  noted. 

1807  —  Evidently  a  year  of  heavy  floods.  Voted  in 
March  to  rebuild  the  bridge  below  Magoon's.  Also  a  com- 
mittee appointed  to  confer  with  Belchertown  concerning  a 
bridge  over  Swift  River. 

Voted  to  choose  a  committee  to  look  up  and  convey 
back  what  timber  can  be  found  which  was  carried  away  by 
the  flood  from  the  bridge  near  Seth  Lamberton's. 

Also  voted  to  repair  the  bridge  near  John  Andrews's. 

1811  —  A  bridge  over  Ware  River  near  Aaron  Andrews's 
ordered  rebuilt.  These  two  items  refer  to  the  bridge  about 
half  way  between  Ware  and  Gilbertville.  The  old  Andrews 
farm  was  just  west  of  the  bridge.  The  "Red  Bridge,"  re- 
cently replaced  by  an  iron  one,  is  well  remembered.  William 
Snell,  who  owned  the  land  when  the  first  bridge  was  built, 
sold  to  John  Andrews  in  179(). 

1815  —  Voted  to  repair  one  half  of  the  bridge  and  one 
abutment  over  Swift  River  near  John  Tisdale's.  This  is 
the  bridge  at  West  Ware.  A  new  bridge  was  built  here  in 
1834. 

1818  —  Voted  to  rebuild  the  two  bridges  over  Ware 
River  where  they  have  been  swept  away  by  the  flood. 

1824  —  Pleasant  Street  and  Church  Street  laid  out,  each 
50  feet  wide. 

18i54  —  The  town  was  divided  into  19  Highway  Districts. 


176  HISTORY  OF   WARE 

"Chose  a  committee  to  superintend  the  construction  of  a 
Bridge  over  Swift  River  near  Lewis'  Mills." 

1830  —  A  road  was  laid  out  from  "Calvin  Morses  across 
the  river  near  the  north  end  of  the  new  cotton  factory  .  .  . 
near  the  furnace."  $330  was  appropriated  for  the  construc- 
tion of  road  and  bridge.  This  is  the  upper  bridge  in  the 
village,  and  was  for  many  years  known  as  the  Furnace 
Bridge.  This  first  bridge  was  of  wood.  It  was  replaced  by 
a  stone  bridge  in  1851.  The  latter  was  badly  damaged  in 
the  flood  of  October,  1869,  which  wrecked  the  old  stone 
grist-mill,  after  which  the  present  bridge  was  constructed. 

In  1844-  a  committee  was  appointed  by  the  town  to  re- 
build the  bridge  "near  Gilbert  and  Stevens'  factory."  It 
was  to  be  of  wood,  and  it  was  optional  with  the  committee 
whether  it  should  be  covered  or  not.  A  petition,  preserved 
at  the  library,  that  the  bridge  be  not  covered,  was  ineffec- 
tual. This  bridge  was  paid  for  in  1845  from  the  "Surplus 
Revenue." 

In  1844  a  change  of  far-reaching  importance  was  made  in 
the  heart  of  the  village.  Among  the  assets  of  the  Hamp- 
shire Manufacturing  Company,  which  failed  in  1837,  was  the 
large  tract  of  land  known  as  the  Common,  lying  between 
Main  and  Water  Streets,  extending  east  to  the  street  ad- 
joining the  Otis  Company's  office,  and  west  to  Palmer  Road. 
The  intention  of  the  Hampshire  Company  to  preserve  this 
large  open  space  was  frustrated  by  their  neglect  to  transfer 
the  tract  in  question  to  the  town  or  to  suitable  trustees. 
There  was  nothing,  therefore,  for  the  receivers  of  the  Com- 
pany to  do  but  to  sell  the  land.  Thus  in  1844  it  was  divided 
into  thirty-four  building  lots,  all  of  which  were  sold  with 
the  exception  of  a  portion  of  the  east  end  of  the  tract  which, 
left  open,  developed  into  Nenameseck  Square.  It  may  be 
noted  that  Main  Street  was  then  called  Front  Street,  West 
Main  was  the  Town  Road,  North  Street  was  called  West 
Street,  West  Street  was  the  County  Road,  Water  Street 
was  Common  Street. 

The  survey  of  the  plot  was  made  by  S.  J.  Wethrill.^ 

1  Northampton  Registry,  Vol.  105,  p.  545. 


^E^T^^T. 


PLAN  OF  LAND  IN  WARE  KNOWN  AS 
"THE  COMMON" 


IX 

Later  Religious  Societies 

The  East  Parish 

With  the  development  of  the  water-power  a  great  change 
had  come  over  the  population  of  the  town.  Ware  Factory 
Village,  as  it  was  called,  had  sprung  up  almost  in  a  night, 
creating  the  need  of  another  parish  and  place  of  worship. 

On  March  8,  1825,  the  first  meeting  of  the  East  Society- 
was  held  in  the  schoolhouse,  at  which  time  a  clerk  and 
treasurer  were  chosen,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  supply 
the  society  "with  some  suitable  person  or  persons  as  a 
preacher  for  the  year  ensuing,  and  to  regulate  the  said  East 
Society  in  all  other  respects  as  according  to  law." 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  held  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 
April  following,  a  committee  was  appointed  "to  report  what 
sum  ought  to  be  raised  to  defray  the  expenses  of  said  society 
the  current  year."  The  committee  reported  that  the  sum 
of  $300  was  needed,  and  assessors  were  chosen  to  assess  that 
amount  on  the  property  holders  of  the  parish.  The  amount 
was  paid  to  four  different  ministers  that  year. 

The  society  was  so  far  purely  voluntary,  and  the  town 
"Voted  to  assess  and  collect  the  minister's  tax  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  East  Society,  so  called."  At  a  later  meeting, 
however,  the  town  ordered  that  the  East  Society  be  paid 
its  share  of  the  tax,  amounting  to  $88.26. 

Early  in  1826  there  came  to  Ware  the  most  interesting  and 
remarkable  man  that  was  ever  connected  with  the  town,  — 
Mr.  Sampson  V.  S.  Wilder,  one  of  the  merchant-princes  of 
the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Mr.  Wilder  was 
born  in  1780,  and  began  his  successful  business  career  in 
1802,  from  which  time  he  was  concerned  with  important 
transactions  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  enjoying  confi- 
dential relations  with  great  men  both  in  Europe  and  America. 
On  the  fall  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  for  whom  he  entertained 


178  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

a  high  regard,  ISIr.  Wilder  formed  the  plan  of  bringing  the 
Emperor  to  America  on  one  of  the  ships  under  his  direction. 
The  plan,  which,  however,  was  abandoned,  was  to  con- 
ceal Napoleon  in  a  large  cask  ^  with  a  false  compartment 
from  which  water  was  constantly  to  drip.  Arrived  in  Amer- 
ica Mr.  Wilder  proposed  further  to  entertain  the  Emperor 
for  at  least  six  months  at  his  country  residence  at  Bolton, 
Massachusetts. 

In  1825  Mr.  Wilder  became  president  of  the  manufac- 
turing company  having  its  works  in  Ware,  and  he  was 
selected  by  the  directors  and  principal  stockholders  to  take 
charge  of  the  establishment.  As  an  inducement  to  his  ac- 
ceptance, the  stockholders  proposed  a  grant  of  $3,000 
toward  building  a  church  at  the  village,  on  condition  that 
the  good  people  of  the  neighborhood  raise  $3,000  in  addi- 
tion; Mr.  Wilder  to  be  invested  with  full  powers  to  superin- 
tend the  erection  of  said  house  and  of  settling  a  pastor. 
Regarding  this  as  "an  obvious  call  of  Providence,"  Mr. 
Wilder  assented  to  the  arrangement. 

The  rare  volume  containing  Mr.  Wilder's  records,  pub- 
lished in  1865,  gives  in  his  own  words  a  curious  and  enter- 
taining picture  of  our  town  as  it  appeared  to  him  in  1826. 
As  the  History  of  Ware  would  not  be  complete  without  Mr. 
Wilder's  pungent  and  vigorous  characterization,  it  is  here 
quoted  without  comment. 

I  soon  ascertained  that  our  head-machinist  and  agent 
were  uncompromising  Unitarians,  and  that  they  had  placed 
as  overseers  in  all  the  departments  either  Unitarians  or 
Universalists;  that  most  of  the  workmen,  consisting  of 
about  two  hundred  in  one  machinist  establishment,  were  of 
the  same  persuasions;  that  they  attended  no  church  or  reg- 
ular preaching,  and  that  on  each  Sunday  some  hundred  or 
more  young  men  and  women  were  in  the  habit  of  going  on 
board  the  company's  scows  and  rowing  up  the  large  pond 
of  the  establishment  for  a  mile  or  two  out  of  town,  and  hav- 
ing at  a  groggery  what  they  called  a  jollification,  thus  dese- 
crating the  holy  Sabbath.  I  also  found  that  the  old  inhabi- 
tants, who  were  located  from  one  to  two  miles  around  the 

•  "Elba  and  the  Hundred  Days,"  Imbert  de  St.  Armand.  Also  "Records  of 
S.  V.  S.  VVUder." 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  179 

village,  and  who  were  mostly  orthodox,  stood  entirely  aloof 
from  associating  with  the  establishment  in  any  religious 
exercises. 

On  arriving  at  Ware,  it  seems  that  the  news  had 
already  reached  the  village  of  the  decisions  of  the  Boston 
company,  and  in  walking  through  the  various  workshops 
and  factories  on  the  afternoon  of  my  arrival,  I  think  I  never 
beheld  so  many  sorrowful  and  wry  faces.  On  the  following 
evening  I  assembled  all  the  old  inhabitants  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, who  gave  me  a  most  cordial  reception,  made  known 
to  them  the  object  of  my  mission,  and  stated  to  them  that 
I  had  brought  with  me  $3,000  towards  building  a  meeting- 
house, on  condition  that  a  similar  sum  should  be  raised 
among  themselves  for  its  completion. 

In  addition  to  this  sum,  I  was  authorized  to  select  a 
spot  on  the  company's  lands  for  the  location  of  the  house. 
A  subscription  paper  was  immediately  drawn  up,  and  by 
heading  the  paper  with  $500  on  my  own  account,  I  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  subscribed  that  very  evening  $2,700, 
and  in  three  days  the  $300  additional  was  made  up.  In 
ten  days  I  had  my  plans  for  the  house  drawn  out,  and  a 
contract  for  building  it  completed. 

There  were,  however,  two  parties,  one  of  which  wished 
the  house  to  be  located  on  the  hill,^  and  the  other  in  the 
valley  nearer  the  centre  of  the  village.  Foreseeing  that  it 
would  require  $500  more  to  complete  the  house  according  to 
my  views,  I  gave  out  that  whichever  party  would  first  sub- 
scribe the  requisite  $500  in  addition  to  their  former  sub- 
scriptions, the  house  should  be  located  in  conformity  to 
their  wishes.  The  hill  party  having  raised  this  sum,  the 
house  was  located  on  the  hill. 

In  consequence  of  the  lawyer  of  the  village  having  in- 
vited his  brother-in-law  the  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  to  preach 
for  a  Sabbath  or  two,  I  providentially  found  this  orthodox 
clergyman  in  the  village  on  my  arrival  there. 

In  less  than  six  months  this  temple  was  erected  and  com- 
pleted, and  I  trust,  by  divine  grace,  has  proved  none  other 
than  the  house  of  God,  the  very  gate  of  heaven,  to  hundreds 
who  are  now  worshipping  in  that  sacred  temple  above. 

The  next  question  was  to  make  choice  of  a  suitable 
pastor.  After  hearing  the  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  for  several 
Sabbaths,  the  orthodox  members  of  the  church,  being  the 

1  Mr.  Wilder's  idea  was  to  make  the  site  of  the  church  a  civic  centre,  with  a 
court-house  opposite. 


180  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

majority,  with  great  unanimity  fixed  on  this  clergyman,  dis- 
tinguished for  soundness  of  doctrine,  superior  abilities,  and 
eminent  piety,  as  their  first  pastor. 

But  few  months  had  elapsed  before  there  was  a  wonderful 
display-  of  the  power  and  grace  of  God  in  that  highly  favored 
village,  in  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  sinners  by  the 
faithful,  pungent  preaching  and  parochial  visits  of  the  rev- 
erend pastor  and  deacons  of  the  church.  A  glorious  revival 
of  religion  was  the  result. 

The  eighteen  months  during  which  Mr.  Wilder  acted  as 
agent  of  the  Manufacturing  Company  were  stirring  times. 

Before  Dec.  23,  1826,  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven  per- 
sons filed  certificates  with  the  town  clerk  as  being  members 
of  the  East  Parish,  and  in  the  same  year  an  attempt  was 
made  to  establish  a  line  between  the  new  parish  and  the 
old. 

Feeling  evidently  ran  high,  and  neighbors  found  it  hard 
to  live  peaceably.  In  the  following  year  a  strong  movement 
arose  for  dividing  the  town,  together  with  the  Church,  and 
E.  H.  Bellows  and  others  petitioned  the  Legislature  for  such 
a  division.  The  petition  was  promptly  followed  by  a  re- 
monstrance led  by  Aaron  Gould.  Religion  and  politics  be- 
came badly  mixed.  The  election  of  a  representative  to  the 
Legislature  in  1828  hinged  upon  the  division  question,  and 
resulted  in  a  tie  vote.  Finally,  however,  it  was  agreed  that 
Muddy  Brook  should  form  the  dividing  line  between  the 
parishes,  though  the  right  was  reserved  for  individuals  to 
join  any  religious  body  they  pleased.  This  plan  was  sub- 
mitted to  the  Legislature,  and  in  1829  the  East  Congrega- 
tional Society  was  incorporated.^ 

'  "  At  a  meeting  of  a  respectable  number  of  the  inh^^bitants  of  Ware  Village  con- 
vened at  the  Mr.  Phelps  Hotel  on  the  7th  of  March  1326  to  consult  on  the  propriety 
of  erecting  a  house  for  publick  worship,  the  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  S.  V.  S. 
Wilder,  Esq. 

1st.  Joseph  Cummings  Esq.  was  chosen  Chairman. 

2nd.  Luther  Brown  Scribe. 

Srd.  Voted  a  deputation  be  sent  to  those  interested  who  are  not  present.  Col. 
Anthony  Olney  Chosen. 

4th.  Voted  that  it  is  the  sense  of  the  meeting  that  a  House  for  public  worship 
should  be  built  in  this  village  on  the  spot  &  on  the  terms  proposed  by  the  Agent 
of  the  corporation. 

5th.  Voted  there  be  a  building  committee  consisting  of  five  &  that  sd  committee 
be  nominated  from  the  chair. 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES 


181 


So  ably  and  shrewdly  was  the  meeting-house  financed  that 
a  short  description  of  the  plan  is  worth  recording.  What 
today  would  be  called  an  underwriting  syndicate  was 
formed,  and  one  hundred  shares  at  $70  each  were  put  on 
sale.  The  Ware  Manufacturing  Company  agreed  to  furnish 
the  land  and  $3000,  in  consideration  of  which  they  received 
fifty  shares  at  a  face  value  of  $3500. 

The  other  share-holders  were  as  follows: 


S.  V.  S.  Wilder   .    . 

.    .     4  shares 

Benj°  Paige     .    .    . 

.     2 

Jedediah  Tucker     . 

.     2 

David  Tucker     .    . 

.      1 

Joseph  Cummings  . 

.     2 

Calvin  Morse  .    .    . 

.     2 

Homer  Bartlett  .    . 

.     2 

Samuel  Phelps    .    . 

.     2 

Alpheus  Demond    . 

.     3 

William  Paige      .    . 

.     2 

Jonathan  Brown     . 

2 

Geo.  W.  Porter  &  Co 

.    .'     2 

Joel  Rice      .... 

.     3 

William  Snow      .    . 

.     1 

Horace  Goodrich    . 

.     2 

Henry  Adkins .    .    .    . 

.     1 

Warner  Brown    .    . 

.     2 

Luther  Brown     .    . 

.     1 

Allender  Brakenridge 

.     1 

Alvin  Leonard     .    .    . 

.     1 

Isaac  Magoon .    .    .    , 

.     1 

Avery  Cary     .    .    .    . 

.     1 

Henry  Graves.    .    .    . 

.     1 

Anthony  Olney  .    .    . 

.     4 

Ansel  Kenfield    .    .    . 

.      1 

"      Assigned  to  R.  Bosworth 

Gideon  Gardner     .    . 

.     2 

**      3^  share  to  I.  Gorham 

98 


6th.  Voted  that  Col.  Anthony  Olney,  Mr.  Alpheus  Demond,  Homer  Bartlet 
Esq.  &  Capt.  Joel  Rice  be  on  sd  committee. 

7th.  Voted  that  the  Chairman  of  sd  Committee  nominate  one  on  sd  Committee 
&  Joseph  Cummings  Esq.  was  Chosen. 

8th.  Voted  s^  Committee  be  authorized  to  call  a  meeting  at  any  time  they  may 
think  expedient. 

9th.  Voted  that  this  meeting  be  forthwith  dissolved. 

Luther  Brown  Scribe  " 


182  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  house  the  pews  were  to  be 
sold  at  public  auction,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  paid  to 
the  subscribers  pro  rata,  provided  only  that  should  the  sales 
produce  more  than  the  cost  of  the  house,  the  overplus 
should  form  a  fund  for  the  support  of  the  Society.  The 
sale  of  pews  netted  $134.41  over  and  above  the  liabilities 
including  interest,  which  sum  was  in  1835  turned  over  to  a 
committee  for  painting  and  repairing  the  house.  The 
"underwriters  "  were  reimbursed  in  full  for  their  cash  pay- 
ments, the  Manufacturing  Company  giving  a  receipt  on 
Oct.  11,  1831  for  $3001.45,  signed  by  "Chris--  Colt,  Agt.  of 
the  Ware  Mf.  Co.  and  of  the  Hampshire  Mf.  Co." 

The  church  at  Ware  Factory  Village  was  "constituted  " 
April  1-2,  1826,  the  Rev.  Alfred  Ely  of  Monson  preaching 
the  sermon. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  June  21,  1826,  with  an  ad- 
dress by  Rev.  Joseph  Vaill  of  Brimfield.  On  the  same  day 
the  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  was  ordained  "to  the  pastoral  care 
of  the  East  Evangelical  Society  in  Ware."  Rev.  John 
Woodbridge,  D.D.  of  Hadley  preached,  taking  as  his  sub- 
ject "The  Courageous  Minister."  Rev.  Mr.  Ely  delivered 
the  charge:  "Constituted  as  you  now  are,  by  the  will  of 
God,  a  Bishop  in  Christ's  visible  family,  we  charge  you  " 
etc.  Rev.  Ralph  W.  Gridley  of  Williamstown  gave  the 
Right  Hand  of  Fellowship. 

Mr.  Cooke  preached  at  the  dedication  of  the  meeting- 
house on  Jan.  24,  1827. 

The  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  served  the  East  Parish  until  the 
spring  of  1835.  He  was  a  noted  controversialist,  and  was 
"in  the  very  forefront  of  the  battle  in  the  conflict  with  Uni- 
versalism  and  every  form  of  error.  Well  might  he  be  sur- 
named  Boanerges.  In  the  comparative  quiet  of  Ware 
Village  he  first  learned  the  use  of  weapons  afterwards 
wielded  by  him  with  great  power."  ^ 

In  1832  Mr.  Cooke  stirred  up  a  hornet's  nest  by  his  advo- 
cacy of  an  extreme  position  on  the  temperance  question,  the 
result  being  that  twenty-eight  persons  withdrew  from  the 
East  Society  to  form  a  third  Congregational  Society.    The 

1  "  Records  of  S.  V.  S.  Wilder." 


MILLS  OF  OTIS  COMPANY —  1S5J^ 
Showing  the  Old  Wooden  Mill 


i-i^  .< 


^j.^-* 


/» \ 


LATER   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  183 

story  is  told  in  a  letter  of  Miss  Cornelia  Gould's,  whose 
mind  was  filled  with  interesting  historical  lore. 

Nov.  29,  '88 
W.  S.  Hyde, 

Sir, 

Your  note  of  the  27th  is  duly  received.  Such  informa- 
tion as  I  can  give  from  memory  and  tradition,  is  at  your 
service. 

When  looking  over  the  papers  of  the  late  Seth  Gould,  I 
came  across  the  clerk's  book  of  that  3rd  Cong.  Society: 
there  were  but  two  or  three  pages  of  record,  do  not  find 
it  now  among  my  possessions  and  cannot  tell  what  I  did 
with  it.  Doubtless  you  have  the  exact  date  in  the  records 
you  mention. 

The  occasion  of  its  formation  was  the  opposition  aroused 
to  the  course  of  the  ministers  of  the  1st  &  2nd  churches  in 
regard  to  the  Temperance  movement.  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke 
prepared  and  preached  a  very  radical  sermon  according  to 
existing  ideas,  on  moderate  drinking  and  the  sale  of  spirits. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Reed  invited  him  to  preach  it  in  his  pulpit. 
It  offended  many  in  both  Soc.  As  the  State  law  then  stood 
I  believe  there  was  compulsory  membership  to  some  re- 
ligious Society.  The  offended  people  signed  off,  as  it  was 
called,  and  formed  a  3rd  organization:  raised  40  doll  for 
preaching,  hired  a  Unitarian  minister  from  Boston,  I  do  not 
remember  his  name,  who  preached  4  Sabbaths,  twice  in  the 
hall  of  the  old  white  schoolhouse  in  the  Village,  and  twice 
in  the  hall  of  the  Centre  Schoolhouse. 

I  remember  going  to  the  meetings;  being  brought  up  in 
the  Tavern  I  was  of  course  in  the  thick  of  the  fight,  but  too 
young  to  understand  it  then. 

I  believe  it  was  at  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature  that 
the  support  of  preaching  was  made  voluntary  and  no  more 
was  heard  of  the  3rd  Society.  The  families  of  these  men 
returned  mainly  to  the  old  places  of  worship,  and  were  some- 
times accused  of  stealing  preaching.  In  many  cases  the 
bitter  feelings  lived  on  till  the  generation  were  all  gone. 
Mr.  Gideon  Lamberton  is  the  only  one  living  that  I  know 
of  who  belonged  to  that  Society. 

Very  Cordially, 

CorneHa  A.  Gould. 


184  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

In  1835  the  Rev.  Cjtus  Yale  became  pastor  of  the  church. 
During  liis  ministry  musical  instruments  were  first  used  in 
public  worship.  A  double-bass  viol  was  purchased  by  sub- 
scription for  $60  in  1836.^  Previous  to  this  the  pitch-pipe 
and  serpentine  had  been  used.  Afterwards  other  instru- 
ments, as  flute  and  violin,  were  introduced.  A  melodeon 
was  placed  in  the  meeting-house  in  1856,  and  an  organ  was 
purchased  in  1862.  Mr.  Yale  remained  but  two  years, 
being  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  E.  Woodbridge  in  1838.  In  the 
fall  of  1840  Mr.  Woodbridge  asked  a  dismission,  and  in 
1842  Rev.  Nahum  Gale  was  called  to  the  ministry. 

The  church  building  erected  in  1826  was  old-fashioned, 
with  high  pews,  and  the  pulpit  was  between  the  doors, 
reached  by  a  winding  stairway.  As  one  entered  the  church 
he  faced  the  congregation.  In  1846  a  movement  was  made 
to  remodel  the  building.  In  order  to  do  this  the  rights  of 
the  Proprietors  had  to  be  extinguished,  and  a  sum  of  money 
was  raised  to  purchase  such  pews  as  were  not  donated,  to 
the  society. 

Some  were  in  favor  of  a  new  location  for  the  church, 
while  others  desired  to  retain  the  present  location.  The 
controversy  led  to  some  hard  feeling  which  a  few  never 
got  over.  The  house  was  remodelled  at  a  cost  of  nearly 
$3000. 

Dr.  Gale  having  been  called  to  a  professorship  in  East 
Windsor  Seminary,  resigned  the  parish  in  1851.  He  is  de- 
scribed as  an  unusual  man.  "His  intellect  was  naturally 
vigorous,  and  he  strengthened  it  by  diligent  study  and  by 
intercourse  with  intelligent  society."  His  departure  was 
keenly  regretted. 

The  Rev.  T.  S.  Colton  was  settled  as  pastor  in  1851,  re- 
maining until  1855.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  E.  P. 
Perkins,  who  remained  until  1884.  During  his  pastorate 
the  parsonage  was  purchased  and  the  present  chapel  built. 
Previously  the  building  on  Nenameseck  Square,  now  occu- 
pied by  the  fire  company,  was  used  for  lectures  and  evening 
meetings,  having  been  built  for  that  purpose  in  1857.  Be- 
fore that,  in  1848,  a  building  formerly  used  by  the  Factory 

*  This  same  year  the  town  voted  to  pay  for  a  pall  and  bier  for  the  use  of  the 
Parish. 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  185 

Company  as  a  counting-room  had  been  given  to  the 
society. 

After  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Perkins  in  1884,  the  Rev.  A. 
T.  Perry  accepted  a  call  to  the  parish. 

In  1887  a  committee  was  appointed  to  consider  repairs  on 
the  church  which  all  felt  were  becoming  necessary.  An 
architect  was  employed,  plans  drawn,  and  subscriptions 
raised.  Twenty-one  thousand  dollars  was  expended,  in- 
cluding the  cost  of  the  organ,  and  the  church  put  in  its 
present  shape. 

The  question  of  free  seats  was  raised  as  early  as  1872, 
and  a  committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  subject,  but 
no  report  is  found  on  record.  In  1888  the  subject  was  again 
brought  up,  the  parish  canvassed  for  pledges,  and  the  free- 
pew  system  adopted  when  the  remodelled  church  was  opened 
in  1889. 

Mr.  Perry  tendered  his  resignation  in  1890  to  become 
President  of  Marietta  College,  and  the  Rev.  Austin  B. 
Bassett  began  his  services  in  January,  1891,  continuing 
until  the  summer  of  1905,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
chair  of  Pastoral  Theology  in  the  Hartford  Theological 
Seminary. 

The  Rev.  George  B.  Hatch  entered  upon  the  pastorate  in 
the  fall  of  1906. 

At  the  installation  of  the  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  on  June  21, 
1826,  Dr.  Woodbridge  referred  to  the  new  village  of  Ware 
as  follows: 

It  is  with  no  ordinary  emotions,  that  we  cast  our  eye 
over  this  busy  and  flourishing  village,  so  suddenly  with  all 
its  beauty,  raised  from  waste  sterility  by  the  hand  of  dili- 
gence, and  containing  within  itself  so  many  of  the  elements 
of  wealth,  respectability  and  influence.  With  sentiments  of 
a  far  more  pleasing  and  holy  character,  we  contemplate  the 
direction,  that,  even  in  its  infancy,  has  been  given  to  its 
enterprise,  in  the  establishment  of  a  church,  founded  on 
evangelical  principles,  and  in  securing  the  blessings  of  the 
christian  ministry.  Every  good  man  must  rejoice  with  this 
Church  and  Society,  in  the  constancy  and  unanimity  of 
their  efforts,  and  the  successful  result,  they  this  day  witness 
under,  as  we  believe,  the  approving  care  of  Heaven. 


186  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

The  following  is  a  quotation  from  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke's 
sermon  at  the  dedication  of  the  meeting-house  on  Jan.  24, 
1827: 

I  should  do  violence  to  your  feelings  should  I  fail  of 
giving  expression  to  the  grateful  emotions,  that  swell  your 
hearts,  in  view  of  that  good  providence  which  has  brought 
this  enterprize  to  so  prosperous  an  issue.  Standing  for  the 
first  time  a  worshipping  assembly  within  these  walls,  a 
train  of  the  most  animating  and  grateful  recollections  comes 
pouring  over  your  hearts.  Roll  back  the  wheels  of  time, 
and  place  things  where  they  stood  but  one  year  ago.  Re- 
move from  the  view  every  thing  that  has  been  done  for 
Zion  here.  Let  the  eye  dwell  on  the  scene  as  it  then  was. 
Zion  is  a  waste.  Few  care  for  her  interest.  And  those  few 
have  'hung  their  harps  upon  the  willows'  saying  'how  shall 
we  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land.'  No  Church 
exists  to  engage  the  protection  of  a  covenant  God,  and  em- 
body the  dispersed  of  Israel.  Here  and  there  a  solitary 
captive  daughter  of  Zion  pours  forth  her  silent  prayer  for 
deliverance.  Here  and  there  an  individual  arm  is  put  forth 
to  restore  the  breaches;  but  without  hope  and  without 
strength. 

But  what  hath  God  wrought!  Passing,  by  a  sudden 
transition  from  that  to  the  present  time,  we  seem  standing 
amid  the  wild  illusions  of  a  dream.  A  choice  vine  has  been 
planted  in  a  very  fruitful  hill,  the  broken  walls  are  raised, 
the  stated  ordinances  of  the  gospel  are  established  to  culti- 
vate and  nourish  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  And  scarce  had 
Zion  from  the  gatherings  of  the  dispersed,  done  enlarging 
the  place  of  her  tent,  when  a  cloud  fraught  with  mercy 
arises,  its  contents  descend,  the  mercy  drops  exceed  the 
drops  of  the  morning  dew,  and  our  astonished  souls  exclaim, 
'who  are  these  that  fly  as  clouds  and  as  doves  to  their 
windows.'  And  to  crown  the  whole,  God  has  so  succeeded 
your  plans  and  efforts,  that  this  long  wished  for  day  has 
come,  when  you  witness  the  completion  of  a  noble  design, 
when  the  finishing  stroke  has  been  applied  to  this  house  of 
God.  And  now  you  may  enter  his  courts  with  thanksgiving, 
and  his  gates  with  praise.  Here  then  on  the  tablet  of  grate- 
ful hearts,  inscribe  "Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us." 

And  with  grateful  and  united  hearts,  come  along  with 
me,  my  brethren,  to  the  solemn  act  for  which  we  have  now 
convened,  the  dedication  of  this  temple  to  God. 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  187 


Baptist  Society 

At  an  early  date  a  Baptist  Society  was  established  in  the 
edge  of  Hard  wick  just  north  of  the  Ware  line  and  west  of 
Muddy  Brook.  Baptists  were  mentioned  in  the  Hardwick 
records  as  early  as  1777,  though  the  formation  of  this  soci- 
ety was  not  effected  until  1797.  The  church  in  connection 
with  the  society  was  instituted  in  1801,  at  which  time  a 
house  of  worship  was  erected.  The  first  pastor,  Rev.  Eben- 
ezer  Burt,  was  ordained  in  1798.  He  held  the  pastorate 
nearly  thirty  years,  being  dismissed  in  1827.  He  afterward 
lived  in  Ware  many  years,  and  is  remembered  by  a  few  of 
the  old  residents  as  a  venerable  man,  occupying  a  seat  in  the 
pulpit  and  leading  in  prayer  long  after  he  was  too  feeble  to 
preach.  He  died  in  Athol  in  1861  at  the  age  of  96.  He  is 
remembered  by  some  as  "Old  Priest  Burt  "  and  by  others 
as  "Elder  Burt."  A  considerable  number  of  Mr.  Burt's  fol- 
lowers lived  in  Ware,  and  in  1810  the  town  voted  that  his 
congregation  should  receive  its  share  of  the  singing-master's 
labor.  In  1811  it  was  voted  to  abate  the  taxes  of  those  per- 
sons that  belong  to  Mr.  Burt's  church,  thus  leaving  them 
free  to  support  the  religious  organization  of  their  choice. 
Certificates  of  membership  in  other  than  the  parish  church 
were  filed  with  the  town  clerk,  registration  being  necessary  to 
gain  abatement  of  the  regular  minister's  tax.  In  1811 
twenty-three  persons  presented  certificates  as  belonging  to 
another  religious  society,  other  names  being  added  from 
year  to  year,  making  a  total  of  something  over  one  hundred 
during  the  fifteen  years  that  such  certificates  were  filed. ^ 

In  1812  Lemuel  Andrews  and  Jonathan  Harwood,  sing- 
ing-committee for  the  Baptist  Society,  received  from  the 
selectmen  an  order  for  $4.24,  that  being  the  society's  share 
of  the  music  appropriation  for  the  previous  year. 

Mr.  Burt's  successor  was  Rev.  Joseph  Glazier,  who  was 
installed  in  1831.  In  the  following  year  a  new  church  was 
built.    Rev.  Nelson  B.  Jones  followed  Mr.  Glazier  in  1837, 

1  Spofford's  "Gazetteer  of  Massachusetts  for  1828,"  mentions  at  Ware  "A 
Baptist  Society,  vacant."  This  must  be  the  Free-will  Baptist  society  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Hyde  as  having  existed  for  a  time  in  the  south-west  part  of  the  town.  It 
is  again  referred  to  in  the  TV  est  field  Journal  of  Dec.  16,  1834. 


188  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

to  be  succeeded  two  years  later  by  Rev.  William  Brown. 
About  1840  Mr.  Glazier  was  recalled,  and  continued  as 
pastor  until  the  society  removed  to  Ware.  The  meet- 
ing-house was  sold  to  Daniel  S.  Collins  and  converted  into 
a  barn  in  1846.  It  may  still  be  seen  at  the  farm  just  north 
of  the  old  burying-ground. 

On  removing  to  Ware  the  society  built  a  meeting-house 
on  Bank  Street,  opposite  the  Savings  Bank.  The  basement 
floor  was  variously  occupied.  School  was  kept  in  a  portion, 
the  district  renting  the  room.  A  meat  market  for  many 
years  occupied  part  of  the  same  basement,  and  also  a  shoe 
store. 

The  first  pastor  after  the  removal  to  W^are  was  Rev. 
Amory  Gale,  ordained  in  1846.  He  was  succeeded  in  1850 
by  Rev.  J.  A.  Bullard,  who  remained  until  1853.  Then 
Rev.  George  E.  Fuller  became  pastor.  He  died  in  1856. 
Rev.  J.  E.  Wiggins  came  in  the  early  part  of  1857,  remain- 
ing nearly  two  years.  The  last  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  F.  Jones, 
installed  Jan.  1,  1859. 

In  October,  1860,  the  meeting-house,  which  had  been  dedi- 
cated in  1847,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Plans  were  made  to  re- 
build, the  insurance  money  on  the  building  being  augmented 
by  subscriptions,  but  before  the  work  could  be  gotten  under 
way  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  sending  prices  high,  and 
diverting  interest  into  other  channels.  The  subscriptions 
were  returned,  the  land  sold  and  the  money  divided 
among  the  Proprietors. 

Methodist  Church 

The  first  Methodist  Church  in  the  neighborhood  of  Ware 
was  situated  on  Ragged  Hill  in  the  borders  of  West  Brook- 
field.  There  in  1800  was  formed  the  first  class,  consisting  of 
seven  members,  to  which  others  were  soon  added,  and  quar- 
terly meetings  were  led  by  the  circuit  preachers.  Joshua 
Crowell,  who  kept  store  and  tavern  at  Ware  Centre,  became 
the  first  local  leader,  and  soon  received  a  license  to  preach 
and  exhort.  For  twenty  years  meetings  were  held  at  the 
house  and  barn  of  Titus  Eddy  on  the  Hill.  In  1823  an  un- 
pretentious church  building  was  erected.     Soon  after,  in 


MILL  AND  RESIDENCE  OF 
CUARLES   A.  STEVENS  — 1854 


Sii^-^ 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  189 

1825-26,  the  growing  manufacturing  interests  of  Ware  Village 
attracted  many  to  the  locality,  and  Mr.  Crowell  began  hold- 
ing services  in  private  homes.  The  White  and  the  Red 
schoolhouses  were  also  used,  and  at  one  time  meetings  were 
held  in  the  Hampshire  Mill.  In  1841  the  society  was  nearly 
extinguished  by  the  secession  of  a  Mr.  Latham,  a  preacher, 
who  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  people  desired  to  form  an 
Episcopal  Church.  The  movement  appears  to  have  been 
temporary.  In  1843  the  Methodists  at  Ware  Village  re- 
solved to  erect  a  building  and  become  an  independent 
society.  Land  was  purchased  for  $75  and  a  church  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $1,300.  It  was  a  plain  structure  without  spire 
or  steeple.  Rev.  David  Sherman,  D.D.,  was  the  first  settled 
pastor.  The  Ragged  Hill  Society  attempted  to  run  alone  for 
a  few  years,  but  in  1848  was  merged  with  the  Ware  church. 
The  old  building  was  transformed  into  a  barn,  and  still 
stands  beside  the  valley  road,  half-way  to  the  village.^  In 
the  same  year  the  Ware  church  was  incorporated  with  Eben- 
ezer  Stevens  president,  Joshua  Crowell  secretary,  and 
Thomas  H.  Francis  treasurer,  and  the  church  building  was 
enlarged,  vestries,  tower  and  vestibule  being  added.  In 
1882  a  portion  of  the  great  stone  step  of  the  Ragged  Hill 
church  was  removed  and  placed  at  the  entrance  of  the 
village  church. 

The  society  acquired  a  parsonage  during  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  C.  M.  Hall,  who  came  to  the  church  in  1889. 

In  September,  1897,  the  old  church  building  was  torn 
down  to  make  way  for  a  new  and  more  commodious  struc- 
ture. The  present  building  was  erected  at  once,  and  was 
dedicated  the  following  June;  Rev.  J.  W.  Fulton  being 
pastor  at  the  time.  More  than  thirty  different  ministers 
have  served  the  village  church.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev. 
E.  W.  Lutterman. 

Unitarian  Society 

The  first  serious  movement  toward  establishing  a  Uni- 
tarian Society  was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1845  under  the 
encouragement  of  Mr.  Charles  A.  Stevens,  who  had  come  to 

^  It  may  be  seen  at  the  old  Joseph  Eaton  place,  now  owned  by  Mr.  Bohmiller. 


190  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

town  shortly  before,  and  Mr.  Henry  Lyon,^  the  first  agent 
of  the  Otis  Company.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  a 
building  belonging  to  the  Company,  and  later  in  the  ^Yate^ 
Street  Chapel  of  the  East  Society.  In  the  fall  of  1846  the 
society  was  organized.  It  was  a  fortunate  time,  just  after 
the  Common  had  been  divided  into  lots  and  offered  for  sale. 
The  societj^  purchased  the  present  site  of  the  meeting-house, 
and  began  building  in  the  spring  of  1846.  The  basement 
was  used  for  meetings  before  the  completion  of  the  entire 
building.  March  18,  1848,  the  society  was  incorporated. 
Samuel  A.  Whitney  was  elected  clerk,  and  George  Draper 
moderator.  The  committee  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by- 
laws consisted  of  Chas.  A.  Stevens,  Seth  Pierce  and  Samuel 
Phelps.  The  first  regular  pastor  was  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Ball,  from 
October,  1847  to  July,  1849.  He  was  followed  in  September, 
1852,  by  Rev.  Geo.  T.  Hill.  Rev.  S.  F.  Clarke  who  became 
pastor  in  1856,  died  in  1861,  after  which  the  church  was 
closed  for  a  year.  Rev.  John  W.  Hudson  was  followed  by 
Rev.  Wm.  G.  Newell.  The  latter  remained  until  the  church, 
together  with  the  town  hall,  was  burned  Nov.  6,  1867.  Re- 
building began  at  once,  and  the  present  edifice  was  dedicated 
in  September,  1869.  The  next  regular  pastor  was  Rev. 
Thomas  Timmins,  1872-73.  Following  him  were  John  L. 
Lyon,  John  L.  Marsh,  B.  V.  Stevenson,  Victor  South- 
worth,  A.  C.  White,  Hans  Spoer,  O.  J.  Fairfield,  and 
F.  W.  Smith. 


All  Saints'  Church 

The  first  Roman  Catholics  came  to  the  town  at  the  time 
of  the  great  expansion  of  manufacturing  interests  the 
middle  of  the  last  century.  There  were  occasional  minis- 
trations in  Ware  by  priests  in  whose  care  were  the  laborers 
on  the  Boston  and  Albany  Railroad  at  the  time  of  its  con- 
struction, but  no  regular  services  were  maintained  until  after 
the  year  1850.     In  that  year  the  Rev.  William  Blenkinsop 

'  Rev.  Nahum  Gale,  pastor  of  the  East  Church,  went  one  day  to  Mr.  Lyon  to 
reason  with  him  concerning  the  affairs  of  the  parish.  Unluckily  he  made  some 
reference  to  "the  new  mahogany  pulpit."  Mr.  Lyon  interrupted  him  with, 
".\  mahogany  pulpit  and  a  white-pine  preacher  —  Good  day,  Sir!  "  The  story  is 
vouched  for. 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  191 

was  settled  as  pastor  in  Chicopee,  and  began  holding  monthly 
services  in  Ware.  Within  a  few  years  his  people  had  so  in- 
creased in  numbers  that  he  came  twice  a  month,  and  Pros- 
pect Hill,  on  the  west  side  of  Palmer  Road,  was  purchased. 
On  this  site  a  frame  church  was  built,  seating  some  300 
people,  the  land  about  the  building  being  consecrated  for  a 
cemetery.  By  1860  the  entire  time  of  a  priest  was  needed, 
and  the  Rev.  Patrick  Healey  became  the  jfirst  resident  pastor. 
Father  Healey  built  a  large  addition  to  the  church,  which 
was  known  as  St.  William's,  and  added  to  the  acreage  of  the 
cemetery  which  is  still  known  by  the  same  name  as  the  old 
church.  He  also  purchased  several  lots  on  North  Street  where 
the  present  All  Saints'  Church  now  stands.  After  four  years 
Father  Healey  was  transferred  to  Chicopee,  and  the  Rev. 
William  Moran  became  pastor.  Almost  immediately  after 
Father  Moran's  coming,  in  1864,  a  spire  was  added  to  St. 
William's  Church.  Father  Moran  remained  in  Ware  twenty- 
three  years.  He  was  a  man  of  marked  individuality,  an 
Irishman  of  the  old  school;  tall,  strong,  athletic,  gentle- 
hearted,  yet  with  all  the  traditional  Irish  spirit  of  pugnacity. 
He  was  famed  as  a  notable  runner  in  his  younger  days.  He 
ruled  his  people  with  all  the  strictness  of  old  country  cus- 
tom, looking  with  disapproval  upon  the  Americanizing  ten- 
dencies of  the  rising  generation.  Father  Moran  never 
desired  a  curate,  and  carried  on  the  parish  alone  until  his 
failing  health  necessitated  the  appointment  of  his  successor. 
He  lived  but  a  short  time  after  giving  up  his  work. 

In  1887  Rev.  James  Boyle  became  pastor  of  the  church. 
Father  Boyle  was  an  American,  and  a  veteran  of  the  Civil 
War.  He  was  a  man  of  unusual  power  and  ability,  inter- 
esting himself  deeply  in  the  affairs  of  the  town  as  well  as 
of  the  church.  The  old  St.  William's  was  already  out- 
grown, and  Father  Boyle  undertook  the  erection  of  a  new 
church  on  the  North  Street  lots  purchased  so  many  years 
before.  Work  on  the  new  structure,  dedicated  to  All  Saints, 
was  begun  in  April,  1888,  and  the  corner-stone  'was  laid 
August  19.  As  soon  as  the  basement  was  completed  it  was 
occupied  by  the  congregation,  and  continued  to  be  used  as 
the  place  of  worship  until  the  completion  of  the  church  in 
1894.    The  dedicatory  services  were  held  in  November  of 


192  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

that  year.  In  1900  Father  Boyle  was  transferred  to  Pitts- 
field,  to  be  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  John  J.  Fallon,  who  died 
in  1903.  The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  John  H.  Murphy.  A 
tasteful  and  commodious  parochial  residence  adjoins  the 
church. 

Our  Lady  of  Mt.  Carmel 

For  twenty  years  one  church  answered  the  needs  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  population  of  Ware.  In  the  late  sixties 
there  began  an  influx  of  French  Canadians  who  soon  desired 
a  place  of  worship  of  their  own.  On  July  16,  1871,  the 
French  people  of  the  town  were  called  together  in  Music 
Hall  by  Rev.  L.  G.  Gagnier  and  a  new  parish  was  formed, 
Father  Gagnier  remaining  at  its  head  for  about  a  year.  In 
1872  the  church  on  Bank  Street  was  erected  and  Father  Gag- 
nier was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Charles  Boucher,  who  continued 
as  pastor  for  eight  years.  In  May,  1880,  the  Rev.  John  T. 
Sheehan  was  appointed  over  the  church,  and  has  continued 
in  the  pastorate  to  the  present  time.  He  has  been  for  many 
years  the  senior  clergyman  of  the  town,  in  order  of  appoint- 
ment. During  Father  Sheehan's  pastorate  extensive  im- 
provements have  been  made  in  the  parish  plant.  A  paro- 
chial school  was  built  on  a  fine  lot  of  land,  ten  acres  in 
area,  in  the  north  part  of  the  village,  and  near  by  a  large 
parochial  residence.  The  school,  established  and  dedicated 
in  1887,  is  attended  by  four  hundred  pupils,  under  the 
charge  of  nine  teachers.  A  cemetery,  nearly  thirty  acres  in 
extent,  belongs  to  the  parish. 


St.  Mary's  Church 

The  first  Poles  came  to  town  in  188G.  About  1890  be- 
gan the  immigration  of  Polish  Roman  Catholics  in  large 
numbers.  For  several  years  these  people  were  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Father  Boyle  of  All  Saints,  but  as  their 
numbers  increased  they  desired  a  priest  of  their  own  nation- 
ality. The  Rev.  Joseph  Fux  was  placed  in  charge,  and  a 
separate  parish  was  formed,  though  services  were  held  for 
some  time  in  the  basement  of  All  Saints'  Church.    In  1906 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  193 

St.  Mary's  Polish  Church  was  erected  on  South  Street,  and 
was  ready  for  occupancy  the  following  year.  The  parish 
purchased  a  house  on  the  corner  of  South  and  Union  Streets 
for  a  parochial  residence,  and  laid  out  on  the  south  side  of 
the  village  a  cemetery  twenty  acres  in  extent. 

Trinity  Church 

Previous  to  the  year  1872  occasional  services  according  to 
the  Prayer  Book  were  held  in  Ware,  but  no  record  of  them 
has  been  preserved.  An  attempt  to  establish  services  in 
1841,  when  a  movement  to  that  end  was  inaugurated  by 
many  Methodists  in  town,  came  to  nothing,  and  little  more 
than  the  fact  has  been  recorded.  On  such  occasions  as  a 
clergyman  came  to  town,  the  news  was  carried  to  those  who 
were  interested,  and  service  would  be  held  in  a  hall  or 
private  house.  On  Dec.  9,  1872,  thirteen  citizens  of  the 
town  met,  a  warrant  was  issued,  and  a  parish  duly  organized. 
In  the  following  year  Rev.  Benjamin  T.  Hall,  formerly  a 
Methodist  preacher,  was  chosen  rector  of  the  parish.  Ser- 
vices were  held  in  private  houses,  and  in  the  old  chapel  of  the 
Congregational  Society.  After  three  years  Mr.  Hall  re- 
signed, and  Rev.  B.  W.  At  well  followed  him,  remaining 
about  a  year.  Then  for  twelve  years  only  occasional  ser- 
vices were  held.  In  the  early  part  of  1887  a  new  interest  was 
developed  and  Rev.  Chas.  W.  Duffield  was  asked  to  hold 
regular  services  during  the  summer.  Mr.  Duffield  became 
rector  of  the  parish  in  October  of  the  same  year.  In  the 
spring  of  1888  the  Hart  well  lot  on  the  corner  of  Pleasant 
and  Parks  Streets  was  purchased,  and  work  was  begun  on 
a  church  building.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  October  3,  and 
the  present  tasteful  structure  was  completed  within  a  few 
months.  After  four  and  one-half  years  of  service  Mr.  Duf- 
field resigned,  and  Rev.  E.  J.  V.  Huiginn  became  rector  of 
the  parish,  continuing  until  June,  1895.  In  the  following 
October  Rev.  Arthur  Chase,  the  present  rector,  took  charge 
of  the  parish.  On  June  10,  1901,  the  church,  being  now 
fully  paid  for,  was  consecrated  by  Rt.  Rev.  William  Law- 
rence, Bishop  of  Massachusetts.  Important  additions  were 
made  from  time  to  time  in  the  furnishings  of  the  church, 


194  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

and  at  present  its  equipment  is  complete.  In  1910  the 
old  Draper  homestead  on  Church  Street  was  purchased 
and  remodelled  into  a  commodious  rectory. 

Cemeteries 

It  was  John  Read's  intention  that  the  church  and  burial 
place  should  be  located  at  the  centre  of  the  Manour,  and  in 
1748  he  set  apart  a  tract  of  land  "for  the  founding  &  con- 
tinuance of  a  Parish  Church  &  Christian  Burying  place  for- 
ever." The  lot  was  situated  a  mile  or  more  west  of  the  pres- 
ent meeting-house,  on  Brimstone  Hill.  Naturally  the  people 
as  a  whole  preferred  the  centre  of  the  town  to  the  centre  of 
the  Manour,  and  when  the  church  was  built  in  1750-51,  it 
was  placed  on  the  lot  where  it  now  stands,  facing  the  east, 
with  the  burial  place  just  to  the  north.  Thus  the  first 
burying  ground  of  the  town  came  into  use.  It  is  a  small 
tract.  A  careful  examination  shows  it  to  be  crowded  with 
burials,  stones  being  erected  over  but  a  small  proportion  of 
graves. 

The  second  cemetery  at  the  Centre  is  upon  higher  ground, 
to  the  north  of  the  old  burial  place.  A  record  of  the  tow^n 
under  date  of  Nov.  19,  1795,  is  as  follows: 

Voted  to  Except  of  the  plat  of  ground  for  a  Burying 
Yard  upon  the  proposals  on  which  Mr.  Pepper  and  Capt. 
Patrick  offered  to  give  said  ground,  which  are  as  follows: 
Viz, 

To  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Ware  in  Town  meet- 
ing assembled,  the  Subscribers  proposeth  that  on  condition 
the  Town  will  fence  the  Burying  ground  with  a  convenient 
wall,  he  will  give  one  hundred  and  forty  five  rods  of  ground 
for  the  use  of  a  grave  yard  for  the  Town  of  Ware:  Which  is 
humbly  submitted,  from  your  humble  Serv't,  Isaac  Pepper. 

No  deed  of  this  tract  has  been  found,  nor  further  descrip- 
tion. 

There  are  no  further  records  bearing  on  this  subject  until 
the  year  1809.    At  town  meeting  that  year  it  was 

voted  to  choose  a  committee  of  seven  persons  to  view  the 
Burying  Ground  and  report  their  opinions  and  doings  thereon 
at  this  meeting.     The  report  was  as  follows:  The  committee 


LATER  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  195 

have  erected  two  bounds,  one  on  the  north-east  and  one 
on  the  south-east,  about  fourteen  rods  distant,  and  proposes 
to  have  said  ground  extend  as  far  west  as  to  make  one  acre 
for  the  burying  ground  in  this  town,  which  was  given  to 
said  town  by  Isaac  Pepper. 

Daniel  Gould, 

per  order. 

The  same  year  it  was  "voted  that  the  selectmen  be  au- 
thorized to  exchange  a  certain  piece  of  the  town's  ground 
for  a  piece  of  ground  on  which  the  dead  hath  already  been 
laid  formerly  belonging  to  Isaac  Pepper."  It  was  also  voted 
to  fence  the  burying  ground  near  the  meeting-house  with 
an  underpinned  fence.  A  number  of  orders  appear  this 
year  for  fencing,  surveying,  and  removing  brush,  and  similar 
orders  appear  from  time  to  time.  The  frequency  with  which 
fencing  is  required  is  almost  incredible,  nor  is  it  possible,  in 
many  instances,  to  be  sure  what  burying  ground  is  meant. 

In  this  year,  1809,  is  found  the  first  unmistakable  refer- 
ence to  the  cemetery  on  the  Palmer  Road.  "Voted  to  fence 
the  Burying  Ground  in  the  south-east  part  of  the  town 
with  posts  and  rails."  The  following  year,  1810,  Joseph 
Cummings  is  paid  $16.64  for  building  a  fence  around  "the 
grave  yard  on  the  plane."  Again,  in  1821,  there  is  a  refer- 
ence to  "the  East  burying  ground." 

The  writer,  after  careful  search,  has  been  unable  to  find 
other  references  of  any  sort  to  this  burying  ground,  in  deeds, 
wills  or  other  ancient  documents.  What  is  the  history  of  its 
origin.^ 

The  first  burying  ground  in  the  Elbow  Tract  was  situated 
at  Palmer  Village  before  1729.  In  1735  another  was  laid  out 
near  the  old  meeting-house  at  Palmer  Centre.  Both  of  these 
were  a  considerable  distance  from  the  homes  scattered 
through  the  northern  part  of  the  plantation.  It  was  the 
custom  in  all  parts  of  New  England  for  families  situated  at  a 
distance  from  a  public  burying  ground  to  lay  the  dead  in 
some  convenient  spot  near  at  hand.  Neighbors  sometimes 
used  in  common  ^  such  a  plot  of  ground.  Thus  private 
burial  grounds  were  not  unusual,  scattered  here  and  there 

1  For  an  account  of  such  a  neighborhood  burying  place  see  the  "History  of 
Hardwick,"  p.  164. 


196  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

over  the  country-side.  A  few  such  are  still  found  within 
the  limits  of  Ware.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the 
burying  ground  *'in  the  south-east  part  of  the  town  "  orig- 
inated as  described  above.  It  may  have  been  used  at  a  very 
early  date.  The  appearance  of  the  ground  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  there  were  many  burials,  though  but  few  graves 
were  permanently  marked  with  head-stones.  The  oldest 
stone  legible  today  is  "In  Memory  of  Miss  Sally,  Daughter 
of  Mr.  Samuel  Deensmore,  who  died  Feb.  13th  178G  in  the 
18th  year  of  her  age. 

Nipt  in  the  beauteous  bloom  of  Life  she  dies, 
Too  early  ripe  to  dwell  below  the  skies." 

The  town  took  charge  of  this  burying  ground  without  for- 
mality as  to  any  title  to  the  land. 

In  recent  years  traditions  have  grown  up,  and  the  popu- 
lar name  of  the  "Indian  Cemetery  "  has  been  given  to  the 
plot.  This  name  was  unknown  fifty  years  ago.  It  originated 
from  the  finding  of  a  few  arrowheads  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
burying  ground.  Burials  practically  ceased  with  the  build- 
ing of  the  East  Parish  Church,  and  establishment  of  a  new 
burial  plot. 

Burials  in  the  yard  of  the  East  Church  began  in  1826,  the 
wife  of  Benjamin  Cummings  being  the  first  person  interred. 
This  burying  ground  was  enlarged  in  1844  by  land  given  to 
the  town  by  the  Otis  Company,  and  again  in  1846  by  the 
purchase  for  $300  of  a  lot  from  Luther  Brown.  The  strip 
bordering  on  Church  Street  was  given  to  the  town  by  Alpheus 
Demond  on  condition  that  burials  should  not  be  made 
beyond  the  west  line  of  the  meeting-house.  More  space  for 
burials  was  soon  needed,  and  in  1852  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  consider  the  acquisition  of  another  burying 
ground  for  the  village.  In  the  same  year  Aspen  Grove,  with 
an  area  of  48  acres,  was  presented  to  the  town  by  Orrin 
Sage. 

In  addition  to  the  public  burying  places  there  are  three 
belonging  to  religious  societies;  St.  William's  Cemetery,  con- 
secrated in  1850,  Mt.  Carmel,  consecrated  in  1881,  and  St. 
Mary's,  consecrated  in  1908. 


GEORGE  II.  GILBERTS  WOOLLEN  MILL 

1854 


wr?      eaes      twv      jtarai  ™  ? 
Bnv      aratn       aau:    '  ^ 


^  B« 


X 

The  Civil  War 

The  first  intimation  that  finds  place  in  the  Town  Records 
of  the  great  struggle  between  North  and  South  is  dated 
April  18,  1861,  only  six  days  after  the  first  gun  was  fired  on 
Fort  Sumter,  and  is  in  the  form  of  a  petition  for  a  special 
town  meeting  addressed  to  the  selectmen  of  Ware. 

Gentlemen : 

In  consideration  of  the  present  emergency  which  exists 
in  our  country,  we  feel  called  upon  to  make  common  cause 
with  the  rest  of  our  countrymen,  therefore  request  your 
board  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  our  town  as  soon 
as  may  be  for  consultation  and  for  the  purpose,  if  need  be,  of 
raising  money  to  provide  for  such  as  may  be  called  from 
our  town  to  take  part  in  the  great  struggle  of  the  nation, 
and  take  such  measures  as  may  be  necessary  therein. 

In  response  to  this  a  warrant  was  issued  April  23,  calling 
for  a  meeting  on  May  1. 

At  the  meeting  resolutions  were  offered  by  W.  S.  B.  Hop- 
kins, Esq.,  as  follows: 

Whereas  the  present  state  of  fthe  country  has  compelled 
the  president  of  the  U.  S.  to  call  for  the  militia  of  the  sev- 
eral states  to  sustain  the  honor  of  the  flag  and 

Whereas  further  requisitions  may  be  made  to  an  extent 
not  known,  wherefore,  since  patriotism  demands  prepara- 
tion by  the  citizens  of  Ware  in  town  meeting  assembled, 
be  it 

1st  Resolved;  that  a  sum  not  exceeding  $5000  be  and 
hereby  is  appropriated  to  equip  such  volunteers  as  may  be 
raised  in  said  Ware,  to  provide  for  their  families  in  their 
absence,  and  for  all  purposes  connected  with  the  present 
war. 

A  second  resolution  provided  for  the  raising  of  funds,  and 
a  third  for  the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  gentlemen  to 
manage  and  expend  such  moneys  as  should  be  raised. 


198  HISTORY  OF   WARE 

All  these  resolutions  were  adopted.  Further  it  was 
Resolved,  That  the  committee  be  instructed  to  pay  $20 
per  man  to  each  volunteer  from  this  town  when  they  shall 
be  mustered  into  actual  service;  and  that  they  (the  com- 
mittee) pay  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per  day  to  those  who 
enlist  while  engaged  in  drilling. 

During  the  summer  and  early  autumn  interest  in  the 
conflict  steadily  increased,  and  the  war-fever  reached  its 
height  in  October.  At  that  time,  Oct.  10,  1861,  an  agri- 
cultural fair  was  held  in  Ware.  There  were  present  at  the 
fair  Capt.  W.  S.  B.  Hopkins,  Nelson  F.  Bond,  W.  I.  Allen 
and  Luther  Howell,  the  last  three  students  from  Amherst 
College.  A  conference  of  these  men  resulted  in  the  announce- 
ment of  a  war  meeting  for  that  evening,  directly  after  the 
distribution  of  prizes.  The  meeting  was  held,  stirring 
speeches  were  made,  and  an  enlistment  roll  was  placed  upon 
a  table  in  the  hall.  Enlistments  began  at  once  amid  great 
enthusiasm.  The  next  day  the  roll  was  placed  in  Captain 
Hopkins's  office  for  further  names,  and  in  two  or  three  days 
the  company  was  filled  up.  The  town  then  engaged  Major 
Raymond  of  Boston  to  drill  the  compam^  which  he  did 
until  November  9,  when  the  men  were  sent  to  Camp  Seward 
at  Pittsfield. 

Here  ^  we  lay  shovelling  snow,  and  drilling  very  little. 
We  were  in  barracks  so  thick  that  we  could  hardly  stir, 
obliged  to  lie  abed  days  to  keep  warm;  and  to  make  things 
more  pleasant  we  went  on  guard  about  once  every  four 
days.  It  was  so  cold  that  we  had  to  run  to  keep  from  freez- 
ing. After  a  while  we  packed  up  our  traps  and  started  for 
Camp  Chase,  Lowell,  remaining  there  a  week,  after  which 
we  started  for  the  Land  of  Sugar. 

Company  D,  31st  Regiment  Mass.  Volunteers  sailed  from 
Boston  on  the  *S.  S.  Mississippi  on  the  twenty-second  of 
February,  18G2,  for  Ship  Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river  which  General  Butler  made  a  rendezvous  for  an 
attack  upon  New  Orleans. 

About  sixty  Ware  men  were  enlisted  in  Company  D,  and 

*  Diary  of  Luther  Fairbanks. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  199 

they  were  allowed  to  elect  their  own  oflScers,  those  elected 
being  afterwards  commissioned  by  General  Butler.  The 
Ware  Company,  as  it  was  called,  was  the  first  to  land  at 
New  Orleans. 

Oflicers  of  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.:  Captain  W.  S.  B. 
Hopkins,  First  Lieutenant  William  Irving  Allen,  Second 
Lieutenant  Luther  Howell,  First  Sergeant  Nelson  F.  Bond. 

At  a  town  meeting  held  July  26,  1802,  the  following  pre- 
amble and  resolutions  were  presented  by  Orrin  Sage,  Esq.: 

Whereas  at  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Ware  on  the 
17th  inst.  it  was  voted  to  give  as  a  bounty  to  each  volunteer 
who  would  enlist  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  the  sum 
of  $100  when  mustered  into  service.  And  Whereas  a  sub- 
scription was  made  by  individuals  guarantying  said  sum 
until  the  voters  could  act  directly  on  the  subject.  And 
Whereas  we  are  now  assembled  by  warrant  of  the  Select- 
men to  consider  the  subject  of  furnishing  the  quota  required 
of  this  town,  it  is  hereby  voted:  That  we  approve  of  this 
act  and  authorize  the  Treasurer  of  the  town  to  borrow  all 
the  money  that  may  be  necessary  to  pay  the  31  soldiers 
who  may  enlist  from  this  town  the  said  sum  of  $100  each. 
And  Whereas,  our  country  is  engaged  in  suppressing  a 
most  wicked  rebellion;  and  although  this  town,  having  al- 
ready furnished  more  than  their  share  of  volunteers  for  the 
army  and  are  now  called  upon  to  furnish  31  more  men, 
being  our  quota  of  the  300,000  called  for  by  the  President 
of  the  U.  S.  and  of  the  15,000  required  from  this  state.  It 
is  hereby  Resolved:  That  we  approve  of  the  call  for  the 
300,000  men  as  expedient  and  necessary,  and  earnestly 
hope  that  our  citizens  will  rally  to  the  flag  of  our  Union 
until  it  shall  fly  in  peace  and  security  and  become  respected 
throughout  our  land. 

Resolved  that  we  now  pledge  ourselves  to  furnish  our 
share  of  the  quota  appointed  to  this  town,  and  to  furnish 
national  aid  for  the  support  of  the  war,  and  make  sacrifices 
if  necessary  to  sustain  the  government  and  the  army  in 
their  endeavors  to  support  the  union  of  their  states  and  to 
defeat  the  rebel  leaders  and  traitors  who  are  engaged  in 
destroying  the  government  they  have  sworn  to  support. 

Resolved:  That  if  there  should  be  a  failure  to  get  the 
number  of  men  called  for  by  voluntary  enlistment  we  would 


200 


HISTORY  OF  WARE 


recommend  to  the  government  to  call  out  by  draft  500,000 
men  to  take  the  field  at  once,  to  uphold  the  constitution 
and  liberties  of  our  country,  and  to  put  down  those  who  are 
fighting  to  destroy  the  best  government  on  earth,  and  the 
best  interests  of  our  land,  under  which  they  as  well  as  we 
have  prospered  more  than  seventy  years  past. 

The  resolutions  were  adopted,  and  the  bounty  of  $100 
was  directed  to  be  paid  to  each  volunteer  who  should  enlist 
for  a  period  of  nine  months. 

At  the  March  meeting  of  1863,  it  was  "voted  To  appoint 
a  Committee  of  Five  to  Erect  in  Aspen  Grove  Cemetery  a 
Monument  in  Commemoration  of  those  citizens  of  this 
Town  who  have  lost  or  shall  lose  their  lives  in  the  Army  or 
Navy  during  the  present  War  —  Said  monument  not  to 
cost  the  towTi  more  than  three  hundred  dollars."  The 
committee  consisted  of 

A.  E.  P.  Perkins 
S.  J.  Wethrell 
Lyman  White 
William  Hyde 
Milton  Lewis 


Little  or  nothing  was  done  at  the  time,  and  in  1866  the 
committee  was  authorized  to  erect  the  monument  at  a  cost 
not  exceeding  $1500.  The  work  was  soon  undertaken,  and 
the  monument  was  erected  the  following  year  at  a  cost  of 
$1200.  It  stands  near  the  principal  entrance  of  Aspen  Grove 
Cemetery,  and  has  on  its  face  the  following  inscription: 


Our  Patriot  Soldiers,  1865 


N.  C.  Andrews 
G.  F.  Barr 
J.  Buckley 
O.  Cummings 
J.  M.  Dunbar 
A.  Fisherdick 
J.  M.  Gage 
J.  Glynn 
W.  Hastings 
J.  C.  Johnston 
R.  McNary 
A.  B.  Murdock 


J.  J.  Rogers 

F.  H.  Saunders 
G. W.  Snow 

J.  W.  Tisdale 
J.  Woodis 
C.  H.  Ball 

E.  A.  Barr 

H.  A.  Crocker 

G.  F.  Dunbar 

F.  H.  Eastwood 
J.  S.  Fisherdick 
W.  F.  Gardner 


H.  V.  B.  Grout 
W.  F.  Howard 
J.  W.  Lawton 
M.  McNancy 
L.  C.  Olds 
T.  Ronan 
W.  D.  Snell 
J.  Stone 
W.  Witherow 
W.  E.  Wright 
1867 


THE  CIVIL  WAR  201 

On  the  right  side  are  the  names  of 

P.  Maloney  W.  F.  Hatstat  D.  Combs 

F.  Denny  H.  A.  Wilcox  N.  A.  Craw 

T.  Stafford  G.  Gashell 

The  number  of  militia  enrolled  on  the  Town  Records  in 
1863  was  253.  In  1864  the  number  held  liable  for  military 
service  was  342. 

In  April,  1864,  a  sum  of  money  was  appropriated  for  the 
payment  of  a  bounty  of  $125  each  to  volunteers  who  had 
enlisted  during  the  past  year,  and  again  in  July  it  was 
unanimously  "voted  to  raise  and  appropriate  the  sum  of 
$5500  to  pay  the  44  men  that  we  are  called  to  furnish." 
A  further  appropriation  of  $8,558  was  made  in  May,  1865, 
for  "volunteer  purposes." 

Military  Records 
(B,  Born;  m.  Mustered  in;  dis.,  Discharged;  e.  Engagements.) 
Alexander,  Isaac,  b.  1837.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Oct.  9,  1862  for  disability.  Re- 
enlisted  Jan.  4,  1864  in  Co.  A,  57  Mass.  Vol.  Wounded  in 
shoulder  at  Winchester.  Prisoner  in  Lincoln  Tobacco  Fac- 
tory, Richmond,  Va.,  from  Aug.  1861  until  Feb.  1862. 

Andrews,  Newell  C.  b.  1847.  M.  Jan.  14,  1864.  Private 
in  Co.  M,  New  Battalion  1  Mass.  Vol.  Cavalry.  Died  in 
the  Camp  Hospital  at  Readville  Jan.  26,  1864. 

Bacon,  Marble  F.  b.  1842.  M.  Aug.  5,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  H,  21  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  June,  1862  for  disability.  Re- 
enlisted  Jan.  6,  1864  in  Co.  C,  4  Mass.  Vol.  Cavalry.  Dis. 
June,  1865  for  disability. 

Bacon,  Newell  Austin,  b.  1816.  M.  Dec.  15,  1861. 
Private  in  Co.  H,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Mar.  11,  1864  for 
disability. 

Bacon,  William  H.  b.  1843.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Feb.  25,  1863  for  disability. 
E.  at  Winchester  and  Cedar  Mt. 

Baker,  Frank,  b.  1837.  M.  Aug.  31,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Sergeant  in  Co.  H,  49  New  York  Vol.  Participated  in  over 
twenty  engagements.    Confined  in  Libby  prison  for  6  mos. 

Ball,  Charles  H.  R.  b.  1834.  M.  Sept.  2,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  K,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va., 
Jan.  26,  1863. 


202  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Bannister,  Matthew,  b.  1817.  ^  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3 
yrs.  Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  In  the  spring  of  1864 
becoming  disabled  for  active  duty  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Veteran  Reserve  Corps.    E.  at  Bisland  and  Port  Hudson. 

Barnes,  Julius  J.  b.  1840.  M.  May  25,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Sergeant  in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Winchester,  Shen- 
andoah Valley,  Cedar  Mt.,  Second  Bull  Run,  Chantilly, 
Antietam  and  Harper's  Ferry. 

Barnes,  Martin  L.  b.  1843.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  May  25,  1862  for  disability. 
E.  at  Ball's  Bluff  and  Winchester.' 

Barr,  Edwin  A.  b.  1847.  M.  Dec.  12,  1863.  Private  in 
Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Died  at  Martinsburg,  Va.,  Mar.  11, 
1864. 

Barr,  George  F.  b.  184-.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.    Died  at  New  Orleans  Nov.  28,  1862. 

Bartlett,  WilHam.  b.  1818.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  On  account  of  disability 
he  was  transferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  in  May, 
1863. 

Barton,  Daniel  M.  b.  1843.  M.  June  21,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  10  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Fredericksburg,  Mary's 
Heights,  Gettysburg  and  The  Wilderness. 

Barton,  Henry  B.  b.  1839.  M.  at  Springfield,  June  21, 
1861  as  private  in  Co.  E,  10  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted,  on 
the  quota  of  Ware,  June  19,  1864  in  37  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at 
Yorktown,  Williamsburg,  Antietam  and  others. 

Barton,  Silas  A.  b.  1846.  M.  June  6,  1863  for  3  yrs. 
Corporal  in  Co.  D,  1  Battalion  Mass.  Heavy  Artillery. 
Term  of  service  spent  in  garrison  duty. 

Barton,  William  Allen,  b.  1837.  M.  July  13,  1862.  First 
Sergeant  in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Nov.  24,  1862  for 
disability.  Re-enlisted  July  20, 1864  for  100  days  as  private 
in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol.    Died  at  Ware  Oct.  3,  1865. 

Bassett,  Elias  A.  b.  1829.  M.  July  31,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Detailed  as  Wagoner.  E. 
at  Opequan  Creek  and  Appomattox  Court  House.  Wounded 
at  Mt.  Jackson. 

Bassett,  Wyatt  M.  b.  1845.  M.  Nov.  20, 1861.  Corporal 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Sept.  29,  1862  for  disability. 
Re-enlisted  July,  1864  for  100  days  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol. 
Dis.  Nov.  1864  with  rank  of  First  Sergeant. 

Batiste,  Joseph.  M.  June,  1862.  Private  in  Co.  I,  34 
Mass.  Vol. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  203 

Benham,  George  W.  b.  1847.  M.  July  20,  1864  for  100 
dys.    Private  in  Co.  H,  8  Mass.  Vol. 

Bennett,  Albert,  b.  1843.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  23,  1864.  Killed 
in  action  at  Sabine  Cross  Roads,  La.,  Apr.  8,  1864. 

Blaekmer,  Luke  H.  M.  July  12,  1861.  Private  in  Co.  F, 
15  Mass.  Vol. 

Blaekmer,  Perez,  b.  1843.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Mar.  1,  1864.  Taken 
prisoner  at  Drury's  Bluff  and  confined,  for  a  time,  at 
Andersonville,  Ga. 

Bliss,  Almus.  b.  1825.  M.  Oct.  1,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Dec.  1863  on  the  quota  of 
Brimfield.    Participated  in  the  engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Blood,  Henry  S.  b.  1827.  M.  Dec.  26,  1861.  Assistant 
Surgeon  57  Illinois  Vol.  with  the  rank  of  First  Lieutenant. 
Died  at  Fort  Donaldson,  Tenn.,  Mar.  4,  1862. 

Bond,  Amos  D.  b.  1835.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9  mos. 
Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Detached  for  duty  on  the 
Pontoon  Train  in  the  Dept.  of  the  Gulf. 

Bond,  Nelson  Freeman,  b.  1839.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Sergeant  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  2nd.  Lieut.  July,  1862. 
First  Lieut.  Nov.  1862.  Captain  Aug.  1864.  Dis.  Sept. 
1865  as  Captain  and  Brevet  Major.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port 
Hudson,  Red  River  Campaign  and  Siege  of  Mobile. 

Bond,  Sylvester  Bowen.  b.  1841.  M.  Dec.  3,  1861. 
Sergeant  in  Co.  G,  31  Mass.  Vol.  2nd.  Lieut.  Jan.  1863. 
First  Lieut.  Dec.  1863.  Dis.  Dec.  1865  with  rank  of  Brevet 
Captain.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Cam- 
paign. 

Brainerd,  Henry  Paine,  b.  1839.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Corporal  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Sergeant  Feb.  20,  1862. 
Dis.  June  29,  1863  for  disability  resulting  from  typhoid 
fever. 

Brashnahan,  Thomas.  M.  Apr.  1861  for  3  mos.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  4  Conn.  Vol. 

Breckenridge,  Asa.  b.  1841.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9  mos. 
Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  His  company  had  charge 
of  the  Pontoon  Train  during  the  march  through  the  Teche 
Country,  and  at  the  siege  of  Port  Hudson. 

Buckley,  Daniel,  b.  1825.  M.  July  31,  1862.  Sergeant 
in  Co.  H,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  engagements  of 
his  regiment  until  Sept.  22, 1864,  when,  wounded  in  the  leg  at 
Fisher's  Hill,  he  was  sent  to  the  hospital.  Dis.  May  25, 1865. 


204  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Buckley,  John.  b.  1841.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  E,  ^  Mass.  Vol.  On  duty  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley 
until  Mav  24,  1862,  when  he  was  taken  prisoner  of  war. 
Died  in  Richmond,  Va.,  Oct.  6,  1862. 

Canterbury,  George  B.  b.  1837.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Sergeant  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  First  Sergeant 
Dec.  1,  1862.  E.  at  Bisland  and  Port  Hudson.  Wounded 
and  taken  prisoner  at  Sabine  Cross  Roads  and  confined  in 
the  hospital  at  Mansfield,  La.  Paroled  and  sent  to  Marine 
Hospital,  New  Orleans,  where  he  recovered  and  returned  to 
duty. 

Caryl,  Henry  O.  b.  1834.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  all  the  en- 
gagements of  his  company. 

Cashill,  George,  b.  1829.  M.  Dec.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson 
and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Cavennaugh,  Thomas.  M.  Sept.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  K, 
10  Mass.  Vol. 

Chapin,  Francis  Luther,  b.  1844.  M.  July  20,  1864  for 
100  days.  Sergeant  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol.  Term  of  service 
spent  in  guard  and  provost  duty. 

Chilson,  Lucius  H.  b.  1840.  M.  May  25,  1861  for  3 
yrs.  Private  in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  the 
engagements  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  which  his 
regiment  took  part.  With  Gen.  Sherman  in  the  march 
to  Atlanta. 

Coney,  Edwin  H.  b.  1844.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Taken  prisoner  during  the  retreat 
up  the  Shenandoah  Valley  and  confined  at  Danville  and 
Belle  Isle.  Paroled  and  transferred  to  Camp  Distribution. 
Enlisted  under  assumed  name  of  "Lenhart"  in  a  loyal 
Virginia  Reg.    No  subsequent  tidings. 

Coney,  Hubert  Mason,  b.  1844.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland, 
Marksville  Plains,  Siege  of  Port  Hudson,  Bynam's  Mills, 
Yellow  Bavou  and  other  minor  engagements. 

Coney,  William  F.  b.  1834.  Drafted  Oct.  16,  1862  for 
9  mos.  Private  in  Co.  B,  177  Penn.  Militia.  His  term  of 
service  was  spent  in  the  performance  of  guard  duty. 

Connell,  James.  M.  Aug.  1861.  Private  in  21  Mass. 
Vol.    Re-enlisted  in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol. 

Converse,  Charles.  M.  Aug.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  K, 
21  Mass.  Vol.    Re-enlisted  in  New  York  Artillery. 


THE  CIVIL  WAR  205 

Converse,  Chauncey.  b.  1806.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9 
mos.    Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol. 

Coombs,  Daniel.  M.  Aug.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  E,  21 
Mass.  Vol. 

Corbit,  Frederick,  b.  1833.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson 
and  Red  River  Campaign.  Enlisted  Dec.  29,  1864  in  U.  S. 
Navy  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  West  Gulf  Squadron. 

Cowles,  Horace  M.  b.  1826.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9  mos. 
Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Detailed  for  pontoon  duty 
in  the  Dept.  of  the  Gulf. 

Cowles,  Marcus  M.  b.  1821.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3 
yrs.  Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port 
Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Craven,  James,  b.  1845.  M.  Jan.  15,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  On  account  of  being  under  age 
he  was  claimed  by  his  mother  and  discharged. 

Craw,  Nelson  A.  b.  1850.  M.  Sept.  19,  1864  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  E,  61  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  June  19,  1865  and 
died  at  Ware  of  consumption  Apr.  30,  1866. 

Crague,  George  G.  b.  1842.  M.  Jan.  15,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson 
and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Crocker,  Charles.  M.  June,  1862.  Private  in  Co.  I,  34 
Mass.  Vol. 

Crocker,  Henry  A.  b.  1848.  M.  June  22,  1862.  Musi- 
cian in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Died  in  Stanton,  Va.,  June  21, 
1864  from  wounds  received  in  action  at  Piedmont,  Va., 
June  5. 

Cummings,  John  W.  b.  1830.  M.  Sept.  22,  1863.  Cor- 
poral in  Co.  D,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  the  engage- 
ments of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  which  his  regiment 
took  part.    Severely  wounded  at  Petersburg. 

Cummings,  Otis.  b.  1841.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Killed  in  action  at  White  Oak 
Church,  Va.,  Dec.  11,  1862. 

Cushman,  Julius  Augustus,  b.  1821.  M.  June  21,  1861 
for  3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  A,  10  Mass.  Vol.  Wounded  in 
right  arm  at  Cold  Harbor.  E.  at  Fredericksburg,  Gettys- 
burg and  Wilderness. 

Davis,  George  P.  b.  1837.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  1  year. 
Captain  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Detailed  as  Provost  Mar- 
shal General  of  Louisiana. 


206  HISTORY   OF   ^YARE 

Davis,  James,  Jr.  b.  1816.  M.  Jan.  29,  1862.  Private 
in  6  Mass.  Light  Battery.    Dis.  Apr.  13,  1862  for  disability. 

Demond,  Alpheus.  b.  1843.  M.  Sept.  12,  1862  for  9 
mos.  Private  in  Co.  B,  44  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  July  20, 
1864  for  100  days.    Corporal  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol. 

Demond,  George  H.  b.  1840.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  He  participated  in  nearly 
all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment,  notably  those  at  Bisland, 
Port  Hudson  and  the  Red  River  Campaign. 

Dempscy,  James,  b.  1840.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  K,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Dec.  24,  1863.  Taken 
prisoner  at  South  West  Creek  and  confined  in  Libby  prison 
for  3  weeks. 

Denny,  Francis  J.  b.  1843.  M.  July  31,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Taken  prisoner  at  New  Market,  Va., 
May  16,  1864,  he  was  sent  to  Andersonville  where  he  died 
Sept.  20  following. 

Dick,  Alexander,  b.  1833.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Feb.  6,  1863  for  disability. 
E.  at  Roanoke  Id.,  Newbern,  Whitehall  and  Goldsboro. 

Donnovan,  Thomas.  M.  Sept.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  A, 
18  Mass.  Vol. 

Dowd,  Edward.  M.  Oct.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  D,  24 
Mass.  Vol. 

Draper,  George  Lemuel,  b.  1846.  M.  July  25,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  B,  5  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  the 
engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Dunbar,  George  F.  b.  1844.  M.  Dec.  1,  1863.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  1  Mass.  Vol.  Cavalry.  Died  in  City  Point,  Va., 
Aug.  15,  1864  of  typhoid  fever. 

Dunbar,  James  Lawrence,  b.  1841.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862 
for  3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Mary's  Heights,  Mine  Run,  Wilderness,  Gettysburg 
and  Sailor's  Creek  where  he  was  wounded  in  the  arm,  render- 
ing amputation  necessary. 

Dunbar,  John  M.  b.  1843.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862.  Corporal 
in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Died  at  the  Battle  of  the  Wilderness, 
May  6,  1864. 

Dunham,  Washington  S.  b.  1841.  M.  July  20,  1864  for 
100  days.  Private  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol.  His  duties,  like 
that  of  his  company,  consisted  of  guarding  prisoners. 

Eastwood,  Francis  H.  b.  1840.  M.  Sept.  6,  1861.  Ser- 
geant in  Co.  D,  22  Mass.  Vol.    E.  at  Fredericksburg,  Gettys- 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  207 

burg  and  Wilderness.    Killed  in  action  at  Laurel  Hill,  Va., 
May  10,  1864. 

Fairbanks,  George  E.  b.  1839.  M.  Sept.  2G,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  1  N.  H.  Light  Battery.  E.  at  Rappa- 
hannock Station,  Bull  Run,  Antietam,  and  others  of  his 
company. 

Fairbanks,  Luther  M.  b.  1841.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  1864.  E.  at 
Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Fisherdick,  James  Sullivan,  b.  1837.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Weakened  by  an  attack  of 
measles  he  died  of  consumption  at  New  Orleans  June  10, 
1862. 

Fisherdick,  Wilham  Alfred,  b.  1843.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  1864. 
Accidentally  shot  and  killed  at  Centerville,  La.,  Mar.  12, 
1864. 

Flaherty,  John  J.  b.  1840.  Enlisted  at  Palmer  Sept.  20, 
1861  as  private  in  Co,  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  on  the 
quota  of  Ware  Dec.  23,  1863.  Taken  prisoner  at  Drury's 
Bluff  May  15, 1864,  and  confined  in  prison  at  Andersonville 
from  which  he  was  exchanged  the  following  winter. 

Fletcher,  Charles,  b.  1844.  M.  Aug.  8,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Corporal  in  Co.  D,  14  Conn.  Vol.  E.  of  the  Army  of  Potomac 
in  which  his  regiment  participated.  Voted  certificate  for 
meritorious  service  by  Legislature  of  Conn. 

Fletcher,  Eugene,  b.  1841.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Engagements  at  Bisland, 
Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Foster,  Joseph  Milton,  b.  1841.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Corporal  Oct.  30, 
1864.  Dis.  Oct.  14, 1865  for  disability  resulting  from  wounds. 
E.  at  Fredericksburg,  Gettysburg,  Wilderness,  Petersburg 
and  others. 

French,  Elmer  H.  b.  1837.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Feb.  20,  1862  for  disability. 
Re-enlisted  July  15,  1864  in  Co.  F,  42  Mass.  Vol.  for  100 
days. 

Gage,  John  M.  M.  Nov.  1861 .    Private  in  6  Mass.  Battery. 

Gardner,  Walter  F.  b.  1838.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Died  at  Baton  Rouge,  Nov.  5, 1863. 
E.  at  Bisland  and  Port  Hudson. 


208  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Gaynor,  Thomas  H.  M.  Sept.  18G1.  Private  in  Co.  K, 
10  Mass.  Vol. 

Gibbs,  John  W.  b.  1839.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Corporal  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland  and  Port 
Hudson.  Taken  prisoner  at  a  battle  near  Bynam's  Mills,  he 
was  confined  in  prison  at  Camp  Ford  Tyler,  Texas,  for  83 
da  vs. 

Gibbs,  William  H.  b.  1842.  Enlisted  Dec.  28,  1863  in 
Co.  M,  1  Mass.  Vol.  Calvary.  Corporal  June  1,  1865.  E.  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  which  his  regiment  participated. 
Gilbert,  Luther,  b.  1818.  M.  Jan.  20,  1862.  Private  in 
6  Battery,  Mass.  Light  Artillery.  Dis.  Dec.  2,  1862  for 
disability. 

Glynn,  John.  Enlisted  at  Pittsfield  Dec.  8,  1861  for  3 
yrs.  as  private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb. 
1864  on  the  quota  of  Ware.  Died  at  Ware  May  25,  1865 
while  on  a  sick  furlough.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and 
Red  River  Campaign. 

Goodwin,  George  A.  b.  1842.  Enlisted  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  F,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  May,  1865  and 
promoted  to  rank  of  Corporal.  E.  in  Red  River  Campaign. 
Goodwin,  Michael,  b.  1810.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Sept.  23,  1863  for 
disability. 

Gould,  WilHara  B.  b.  1822.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  in  Co. 
K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  for  9  mos.  Dis.  Nov.  18,  1862  for 
disability. 

Graham,  John.  M.  Aug.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  K,  10 
Mass.  Vol. 

Green,  George  A.  b.  1814.  M.  March  10 ,1864.  Corporal 
in  Co.  I,  57  Mass.  Vol. 

Green,  Joseph  Duff.  b.  1840.  M.  May  25, 1861  for  3  yrs. 
Corporal  in  Co.  G,  2  Mass.  Vol.  E.  Bank's  Retreat,  Cedar 
Mt.,  Chancellors ville  and  Gettysburg. 

Greenleaf,  John  R.  b.  1840.  M.  Oct.  30,  1862  for  9 
mos.    Hospital  Steward  in  46  Mass.  Vol. 

Grout,  Horace  V.  B.  b.  1835.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  His  regiment  was  sent  to 
Ship  Island  where  Comrade  Grout  was  taken  ill  and  died 
Apr.  14,  1862. 

Grundell,  Sebastian,  b.  1839.  M.  May  25,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  the 
engagements  of  his  regiment,  also  was  with  Gen.  Sherman 
on  his  march  to  Atlanta. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  209 

Hall,  Samuel  A.  b.  1833.  M.  Oct.  14,  18C2  for  9  mos. 
Corporal  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Detailed  for  pontoon 
service. 

Hatstat,  William  F.  b.  1843.  M.  May  25,  18G1.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Apr.  1863  for  disability.  E. 
at  Second  Bull  Run,  Cedar  Mt.  and  Antietam.  Died  at 
New  Haven,  Nov.  1864. 

Hannum,  Charles  C.  b.  1844.  M.  June  22,  1862  for  3 
yrs.  Private  in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
Lynchburg,  Cedar  Creek,  Winchester  and  Petersburg. 

Hastings,  Henry  C.  b.  1835.  M.  Nov.  20, 1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  1864.  Participated 
in  the  engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Hastings,  John  Hunt.  b.  1826.  M.  Oct.  15,  1862  for 
9  mos.  Private  in  Co.  H,  46  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Kingston, 
Whitehall,  Goldsboro  and  Gum  Swamp. 

Hayes,  Patrick,  b.  1840.  M.  Oct.  26,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  K,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  on  the  quota  of  Springfield, 
Dec.  23,  1863.  Taken  prisoner  at  South  West  Creek  Mar. 
8,  1865,  and  confined  in  Libby  prison  for  about  3  weeks. 

Hempten,  Daniel,  b.  1834.  M.  Sept.  7,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  24  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Roanoke  Id.,  Kingston, 
Newbern  and  others  of  his  regiment. 

Hill,  James  Gilbert,  b.  1841.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9 
mos.  First  Sergeant  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted 
May  10,  1863  as  First  Lieutenant  in  3  La.  Engineers.  Cap- 
tain Sept.  12,  1863.  E.  at  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River 
Campaign. 

Hill,  William  Harrison,  b.  1842.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland, 
Siege  of  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Hitchcock,  Henry  M.  b.  1843.  M.  May  22,  1862.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Oct.  1862  for  disability. 
Re-enlisted  Apr.  9,  1863  as  private  in  Co.  G,  2  Mass.  Vol. 
Cavalry.  Dis.  Dec.  1863  for  disability.  Re-enlisted  July 
1864  as  musician  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol.  for  100  days.  E.  at 
Roanoke  Id.  and  Trenton. 

Hitchcock,  Newton  E.  b.  1835.  Having  entered  the 
U.  S.  Navy  in  1859  as  Hospital  Steward  he  was  assigned 
to  the  South  Atlantic  Squadron.  Transferred  in  1862  to  the 
U.  S.  Hospital  and  Store  Ship  Vermont.    E.  at  Port  Royal. 

Holden,  Daniel,  b.  1819.  M.  Aug.  6,  1862.  Captain  in 
Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.    Dis.  Nov.  8,  1862  for  disability. 

Holden,  D.  Otis.    b.  1843.    M.  July  31,  1862  for  3  yrs. 


210  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Private  in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.     E.  at  Newmarket,  Rich- 
mond and  Petersburg.    Wounded  at  Newmarket. 

Hopkins,  William  S.  B.  b.  1836.  Commissioned  as 
Captain  Nov.  20,  1861  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Lieut.-Col. 
Dec.  24,  1862.  Dis.  Apr.  1864  on  account  of  resignation 
from  company.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River 
Campaign.  Prior  to  muster  was  unanimously  elected  as 
Capt.  of  the  Ware  Company. 

Howard,  Ocran  Hanks,  b.  1838.  Entered  U.  S.  Naval 
Academy  at  Annapolis  in  1857.  Commissioned  as  2nd. 
Lieut,  in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  May  28,  1861.  1st.  Lieut. 
Sept.  1861.  Capt.  Aug.  1862.  Capt.  in  U.  S.  Signal  Corps 
Sept.  1863.  Dis.  in  1866  with  rank  of  Capt.  and  Brevet 
Lieut.  Col.  As  signal  officer  he  served  on  the  staff  of 
Generals  Veile,  Stevens,  Grant,  Sherman,  McPherson, 
Howard  and  Sheridan.  He  rendered  service  in  all  the  Con- 
federate States  except  Texas. 

Howard,  Warren  V.  M.  May,  1861.  Private  in  Co.  E, 
2  Mass.  Vol. 

Howard,  William  Fay.  b.  1845.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for 
9  mos.  Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Mar. 
10,  1864  in  Co.  I,  57  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Wilderness,  Spott- 
sylvania.  Cold  Harbor  and  Petersburg.  Taken  prisoner  in 
the  last  named  engagement,  he  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Feb. 
23,  1865. 

Howe,  John  W.  b.  1833.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9  mos. 
Sergeant  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Detailed  for  duty  in  the 
Pontoon  Bridge  Corps,  Dept.  of  the  Gulf.  E.  at  Bisland 
and  Port  Hudson. 

Howland,  Edward  A.  b.  1840.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  23,  1864.  E. 
at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Johnson,  Emery  W.  b.  1844.  M.  Nov.  20,  1801.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  23,  1864.  Partici- 
pated in  the  engagements  of  the  Red  River  Campaign. 

Keefe,  Michael,  b.  1844.  M.  Sept.  27,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  B,  8  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Dec.  1863.  E.  at  Roanoke 
Id.,  Newbern  and  Fort  Mason.  Wounded  in  the  head  at 
Antietam. 

Kendall,  Ransom,  b.  1831.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  23,  1864.  Partici- 
pated in  every  engagement  of  his  regiment. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  211 

Kennedy,  David,  b.  1845.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  18G4.  E.  at  Bis- 
land.  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Kenney,  James,  b.  1838.  M.  May  25,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Winchester,  Chancel- 
lorsville  and  Gettysburg. 

Kilmer,  John.  b.  1831.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Aug.  26,  1863  for  disability.  E. 
at  Roanoke  Id.,  Newbern,  Kingston  and  Goldsboro. 

Knight,  x\lva  A.  b.  1835.  Commissioned  as  First  Lieu- 
tenant in  34  U.  S.  Colored  Troops,  Apr.  27,  1863.  Captain 
Mar.  1865.  E.  at  Fort  Wagner,  Siege  of  Charleston,  and 
Olustee.  Detached  for  duty  as  Quartermaster  and  as  Judge 
Advocate. 

Knight,  Charles  S.  b.  1830.  M.  Oct.  13,  1862  for  9  mos. 
Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Detached  for  duty  in  the 
Pontoon  Bridge  Corps,  Dept.  of  the  Gulf. 

Lamb,  David  P.  b.  1843.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Feb.  8,  1865  for  disability. 
Wounded  at  the  Battle  of  the  Wilderness  which  resulted  in 
the  loss  of  3  fingers. 

Lamberton,  Charles  T.  b.  1840.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Sept.  26,  1862  for 
disability.  Re-enlisted  July  20,  1864  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass. 
Vol.  for  100  days. 

Lamberton,  Henry  C.  b.  1837.  M.  July  21,  1862.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  H,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  May  19,  1865  for  disa- 
bility resulting  from  wounds  received  at  Stickney's  Farm. 

Lashua,  John.  b.  1844.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  1864.  E.  at  Bisland, 
Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Lawton,  Erastus  P.  b.  1847.  M.  July  20,  1864  for  100 
days.  Private  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol.  Term  of  service 
spent  in  guard  duty. 

Lawton,  Joseph  Wallingford.  b.  1839.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861. 
First  Sergeant  in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Second  Lieut.  Feb. 
13, 1862.  Killed  at  Newbern,  N.  C,  Mar.  14, 1862,  being  the 
only  commissioned  officer  from  Ware  to  fall  in  battle.  Post 
85,  Dept.  of  Mass.  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  was  named 
in  his  honor. 

Lewis,  William  E.  b.  1839.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
First  Sergeant  in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  June,  1865 
with  rank  of  Brevet  2nd.  Lieut.     E.  at  Fredericksburg, 


212  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Mary's  Heights,  Mine  Run,  Laurel  Hill,  Wilderness,  North 
Anna,  Gettysburg  and  Sailor's  Creek. 

Loud,  Cyrus  S.  b.  1830.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for  9  mos. 
Musician  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Mar.  1864  in 
Co.  I,  4  Mass.  Vol. 

Maloney,  Patrick.  M.  1861.  Served  on  U.  S.  Ship 
Cumberland.     Drowned  at  sea. 

Mahan,  Robert  L.  b.  1834.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  most  of 
the  engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Marsh,  George  S.  b.  1842.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Dec.  1863  for  disability  re- 
sulting from  wound  through  the  face.  E.  at  Bisland  and 
Siege  of  Port  Hudson. 

McKenney,  Michael,  b.  1843.  Enlisted  at  Palmer  Sept. 
20,  1861  as  private  in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  on 
the  quota  of  Ware,  Dec.  23, 1863.  Taken  prisoner  at  Drury's 
Bluff  May  14,  1864  and  confined  in  prison  at  Anderson- 
ville.  Sent  to  Parole  Camp  at  Annapolis  where  he  died 
Dec.  10,  1864. 

McMahon,  William,  b.  1843.  M.  Sept.  12,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  24  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Mar.  23,  1863  for 
disability.  E.  at  Roanoke  Id.,  Newbern  and  Little 
Washington. 

McMahon,  Patrick,  b.  1840.  M.  June  29,  1861  for  3 
yrs.  Corporal  in  Co.  K,  5  Conn.  Vol.  Participated  in  all 
the  engagements  of  his  regiment. 

McNary,  Richard,  b.  1842.  M.  Oct.  1,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at 
Drury's  Bluff,  Va.,  May  15,  1864.  Confined  in  Anderson- 
ville  prison  and  died  there  Aug.  8,  1864. 

Miller,  Michael  G.  b.  1844.  M.  Feb.  16,  1865.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  15  Conn.  Vol.    E.  at  Kingston. 

Mott,  Abner  R.  b.  1841.  Enlisted  at  Greenwich  Aug. 
19,  1861  as  private  in  Co.  I,  21  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  on 
the  quota  of  Ware  Jan.  2,  1864.  Second  Lieutenant  Sept. 
7,  1864.  First  Lieutenant  Oct.  12,  1864.  E.  at  Roanoke 
Id.,  Newbern,  Knoxville  and  others. 

Mott,  John  F.  b.  1817.  M.  Dec.  10,  1861.  Corporal  in 
6  Mass.  Light  Battery.  Dis.  July,  1862  for  disability  re- 
sulting from  injury  received  on  vovage  to  Ship  Island. 

Mudgett,  E.  F.    M.  1861.    Private  in  11  Mass. 

Murdock,  Alexander  B.     b.  1830.     M.  Sept.  20,  1861. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  213 

Private  in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Re-cnlisted  Mar.  2,  18C4. 
Taken  prisoner  at  Drury's  Bluff  May,  1864.  Died  at 
Anderson ville  Feb.  9,  1865. 

O'Brien,  Michael,  b.  1836.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Dec.  10,  1862  for  disability 
resulting  from  the  loss  of  a  leg  in  the  engagement  at 
Cedar  Mt. 

O'Connell,  James,  b.  1838.  M.  July  13,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  I,  34  Mass.  Vol.  Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve 
Corps  in  Feb.  1864. 

Olds,  Lewis  C.  b.  1842.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Roanoke  Id.  and  Newbern. 
Died  in  Washington  Oct.  4,  1862. 

Olney,  James  W.  b.  1840.  M.  Aug.  5,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  H,  21  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Jan.  1, 1864.  Transferred 
to  Co.  H,  36  Mass.  Vol.  and  promoted  to  rank  of  Corporal. 
E.  at  Roanoke  Id.,  Newbern  and  others  in  which  his  regi- 
ment participated. 

Osborne,  Clark  J.  b.  1836.  M.  Sept.  20,  1861.  Corporal 
in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Sergeant  Oct.  1862.  Died  at  Flor- 
ence, S.  C,  Jan.  1865  while  prisoner  of  war.  Participated  in 
the  engagements  of  his  regiment.  Made  prisoner  at  Drury's 
Bluff,  he  was  taken  to  Andersonville  and  later  transferred 
to  Florence. 

O'Sullivan,  Thomas,  b.  1841.  M.  Sept.  7,  1861.  Dis. 
Apr.  20,  1863  for  disability.  E.  at  Roanoke  Id.  and 
Newbern. 

Osborne,  Daniel  L.  b.  1828.  M.  Dec.  4,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  F,  31  Mass.  Vol.    Dis.  July,  1862  for  disability. 

Osborne,  Henry  Simeon,  b.  1832.  M.  Aug.  11,  1862. 
Private  in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  June,  1863  for  disabil- 
ity.   E.  at  Little  Washington,  Kingston  and  Goldsboro. 

Parmenter,  Charles,  b.  1845.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  23,  1864. 
Participated  in  all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment  until 
July  1, 1864,  when  being  home  on  furlough  he  did  not  rejoin 
his  command  and  so  became  a  deserter. 

Phelps,  John  F.  b.  1842.  Commissioned  Jan.  20,  1862 
as  First  Lieut,  of  6  Battery  Mass.  Light  Artillery.  Capt. 
Oct.  1863.  E.  at  Baton  Rouge,  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and 
Red  River  Campaign. 

Pierce,  Leverett.    b.  1836.    E.  Sept.  9,  1862  for  3  yrs. 


2U  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Private  in  10  Battery  Mass.  Light  Artillery  Vol.     Partici- 
pated in  all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Puffer,  Emerson  O.  b.  1843.  E.  Oct.  11,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Sergeant  Aug.  1,  1863. 
Engagements  at  Bisland  and  Siege  of  Port  Hudson.  Re- 
cruiting Officer  at  Boston. 

Quevillon,  John  B.  M.  July,  1862.  Private  in  Co.  I, 
34  Mass.  Vol. 

Raymond,  Thomas  E.  b.  1838.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  as  Corporal  Feb. 
1864.    E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Richards,  Marshall  N.  b.  1840.  M.  Aug.  6,  1862.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  E,  1  Mass.  Vol.  Cavalry.  Re-enlisted  Dec.  1863. 
Participated  in  the  engagements  of  his  regiment  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Richardson,  Alfred  H.  b.  1844.  M.  Sept.  3,  1861  for  9 
mos.  Private  in  Co.  A,  46  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Aug. 
1864  for  1  year.  Corporal  in  Co.  B,  61  Mass.  Vol.  Sergeant 
Mar.  1865.    E.  at  Batchelor's  Creek  and  Petersburg. 

Richardson,  Ebenezer  C.  b.  1820.  Commissioned  as 
surgeon  in  U.  S.  Vol.  service  and  assigned  to  duty  Apr.  26, 
1863  as  surgeon  of  Board  of  Enrollment  for  9  Mass.  District. 
Dis.  June  15,  1865  at  close  of  war. 

Richardson,  Edwin  E.  b.  1839.  M.  Sept.  25,  1862  for 
9  mos.  Private  in  Co.  A,  46  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  July 
13,  1864  as  Corporal  in  Co.  A,  8  Mass.  Vol.  for  100  days. 
Detailed  for  picket  duty  at  Newport  Barracks  and  provost 
duty  at  Baltimore. 

Robbins,  Henry  M.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private  in  Co. 
D,  31  Mass.  Vol. 

Robinson,  John  Wales,  b.  1826.  M.  Oct.  14,  1862  for 
9  mos.  Private  in  Co.  K,  42  Mass.  Vol.  Served  as  Hospital 
Steward. 

Rogers,  David  D.  b.  1833.  M.  Nov.  20, 1861.  Corporal 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  24,  1864.  E.  at 
Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Rogers,  Joseph  J.  b.  1838.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Killed  at  the  Battle  of  the  Wilder- 
ness May  6,  1864. 

Ronan,  Thomas,  b.  1837.  Enlisted  at  Chicopee  Dec.  13, 
1861.  Sergeant  in  Co.  G,  28  Mass.  Vol.  Killed  in  action 
at  Gettysburg  July  2,  1863. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  215 

Sagendorph,  Edward.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private  in  Co. 
D,  31  Mass.  Vol. 

Sagendorph,  Milton,  b.  1839.  Enlisted  at  Meriden, 
Conn.,  Apr.  22,  1861  for  3  mos.  Private  in  1  Conn.  Vol. 
Re-enlisted  on  the  quota  of  Ware  Nov.  20,  1861.  Corporal 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Subsequently  made  Sergeant  and 
First  Sergeant.  Second  Lieutenant  Dec.  1862.  First  Lieu- 
tenant Aug.  1863.  Captain  Aug.  1864.  Dis.  Sept.  9,  1865 
as  Brevet  Captain.  E.  at  First  Bull  Run,  Port  Hudson, 
Red  River  Campaign. 

Salie,  Robert  C.  b.  1840.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Taken  ill  on  his  arrival  at  Ship  Id., 
the  disability  continued  and  he  was  discharged  June  18, 
1862. 

Saunders,  Charles,  b.  1831.  Enlisted  at  Wilbraham 
Sept.  4,  1861  as  private  in  Co.  A,  18  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted 
on  the  quota  of  Ware  Jan.  2,  1864.  Died  at  Ware  Mar.  14, 
1864. 

Sawin,  Samuel  H.  M.  Sept.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  H,  21 
Mass.  Vol. 

Seamans,  Charles,  b.  1844.  Enlisted  in  U.  S.  Navy 
June,  1861,  for  3  yrs.  Assigned  to  duty  on  Gun  Boat 
Cambridge.  Took  part  in  the  capture  of  a  number  of 
prizes. 

Seamans,  James  O.  b.  1836.  Enlisted  in  U.  S.  Navy, 
May,  1861  and  was  assigned  to  duty  on  Flagship  Colorado. 
Dis.  July,  1862.  Enlisted  Aug.  15,  1864  as  private  in  Co.  F, 
1  Battalion  Mass.  Heavy  Artillery. 

Simonds,  Francis  N.  b.  1837.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  1864.  E.  at 
Port  Hudson,  Red  River  Campaign  and  Mobile. 

Shaw,  Theodore  D.  M.  Aug.  1862.  Private  in  Co.  A,  37 
Mass.  Vol. 

Smith,  Royal  Amos.  b.  1831.  M.  Sept.  21,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  I,  27  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  June  10,  1862  for  disa- 
bility.   E.  at  Roanoke  Id.  and  Newbern. 

Snell,  William  D.  b.  1840.  M.  Aug.  5,  1861.  Corporal 
in  Co.  H,  21  Mass.  Vol.  Died  in  service  June  19,  1862. 
E.  at  Roanoke  Id.  and  Newbern. 

Snow,  Charles,  b.  1843.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Dec.  1862  for  disability.  Re- 
enlisted  Sept.  21,  1864  in  the  6  Mass.  Light  Battery.  E. 
at  Winchester,  Cedar  Mt.,  Rappahannock,  South  Mt.  and 
Antietam. 


21 G  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Snow,  George  Warner,  b.  1843.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  24,  18C4  and 
was  killed  in  action  at  Yellow  Bayou,  La.,  May  18,  1864. 
Participated  in  all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Spooner,  Silas  Anderson,  b.  1837.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Corporal  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Aug.  1863  for  disa- 
bility. Re-enlisted  July  20, 1864  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol.  for 
100  da  vs. 

Stafford,  Thomas,  b.  1844.  M.  July  1, 1862.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  14  Conn.  Vol.  Reported  as  "missing  in  action," 
and  supposed  to  have  been  killed  at  Chancellorsville,  Va., 
Mav  3,  1863. 

Stearns,  Charles  F.  b.  1837.  M.  Dec.  28, 1861.  Musician 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Principal  Musician  June  30,  1862. 
Dis.  Feb.  1864  for  disability.  E.  at  Bisland  and  Port  Hudson. 

Stearns,  Francis  D.  b.  1839.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.    Dis.  in  Aug.  1863  for  disability. 

Stevens,  George  Wilder,  b.  1836.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for 
3  yrs.  Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dec.  22,  1863 
transferred  to  U.  S.  Signal  Corps  in  which  he  was  made 
Sergeant.  Engagements  at  Bisland,  Port  Hudson  and  Red 
River  Campaign. 

Stone,  Joseph,  b.  1839.  M.  May  25,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  E,  2  Mass.  Vol.  Died  at  Aquia  Creek,  Va.,  May  22, 
1862. 

Tayler,  D wight  B.  b.  1842.  M.  Nov.  20, 1861.  Corporal 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.    Dis.  Apr.  1862  for  disability. 

Thornton,  Michael,  b.  1843.  M.  Aug.  23,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  K,  21  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Feb.  1863  for  disability 
resulting  from  gun-shot  wound  received  at  Fredericksburg. 

Tierney,  Daniel.    M.  Julv,  1862.    Private  in  34  Mass.  Vol. 

Tisdale,  Charles  E.  b.  1842.  M.  July  31, 1862.  Corporal 
in  Co.  H,  34  Mass.  Vol.    Dis.  Jan.  8,  1863  for  disability. 

Tisdale,  Estes  F.  b.  1834.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Corporal  in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Participated  in  all  the 
engagements  of  his  regiment. 

Tisdale,  James  W.  b.  1818.  M.  Aug.  30,  1862.  Private 
in  Co.  F,  37  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  July  12, 
1863  for  disability  and  died  within  a  few  days.  E.  at 
Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville. 

Towne,  Dennis,  b.  1826.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland  and  Port 
Hudson.     Detailed  for  6  mos.  duty  in  Battery  F,  1  U.  S. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR  217 

Artillery,  and  participated  in  campaign  of  18C4  in  the  Gulf 
Department. 

Towne,  William  A.  b.  1842.  M.  Mar.  31,  1864.  Private 
in  Co.  L,  4  Mass.  Vol.  Cavalry.  Detailed  as  member  of  the 
regimental  band,  and  stationed  at  the  head-quarters  of  the 
Army  of  the  James. 

Turner,  Mollis,  b.  1829.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Sergeant  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hud- 
son and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Walker,  Henry,  b.  1818.  M.  Nov.  25,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Transferred  Apr.  1864  to  Veteran 
Reserve  Corps.  E.  at  Bisland  and  Port  Hudson,  subsequent 
to  which  he  became  incapacitated  for  further  field  service. 

Warburton,  Aram.  b.  1845.  E.  July  12,  1864  for  100 
days.    Musician  in  Co.  F,  60  Mass.  Vol. 

Warburton,  Ezra.  b.  1842.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private 
in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Mar.  20,  1863  for  disability. 
Detailed  for  guard  and  garrison  duty. 

Warburton,  Hiram,  b.  1840.  M.  Sept.  9,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  10  Mass.  Artillery  Vol.  E.  at  Auburn,  Mine  Run, 
North  Anna,  Petersburg  and  others. 

Wetherell,  Henry  L.  b.  1847.  M.  Aug.  29,  1864.  Pri- 
vate in  Marine  Service  at  Charlestown,  Mass.  Granted  a 
special  discharge  in  Sept.  1866  on  account  of  enlisting  as  a 
minor.    Served  on  Circassian  and  Kearsarge. 

White,  Alonzo.  M.  Sept.  1861.  Private  in  Co.  H,  21 
Mass.  Vol. 

Wilcox,  Hiram  A.  b.  1831.  M.  Nov.  20, 1861.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  June,  1862  for  disability.  Died 
at  Ware  Nov.  11,  1864. 

Wilcox,  Chauncey  C.  b.  1848.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Youngest  soldier  to  enlist 
from  Ware.  Spent  first  year  of  service  as  Captain's  orderly. 
Served  as  musician  and  later  performed  the  whole  duty  of  a 
soldier  in  the  ranks.    Re-enlisted  Feb.  1864. 

Wilcox,  J.  Hiler.  b.  1841.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  E.  at  Bisland,  Port  Hud- 
son and  Red  River  Campaign. 

Winslow,  Jasper  Albert,  b.  1842.  M.  July,  1862  for  3  yrs. 
Private  in  Co.  C,  16  Conn.  Vol.  Died  of  yellow  fever  at 
Newbern,  Oct.  14,  1864. 

Wilder,  Wales  Tileston.  b.  1825.  M.  July  21,  1862 
Private  in  Co.  E,  36  Mass.  Vol.    Dis.  as  Corporal  June,  1865 


218  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

E.  at  Fredericksburg,  Vicksburg,  Petersburg  and  others  of 
his  regiment. 

Witherow,  William,  b.  1845.  E.  Nov.  20,  1861  for  3 
yrs.  Private  in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Re-enlisted  Feb.  23, 
1864  and  promoted  to  rank  of  Corporal.  Died  at  Ware, 
April  8,  1865  from  wounds  received  at  Sabine  Cross  Roads. 

Wotton,  Wallace  M.  b.  1841.  M.  July  25,  1864  for  100 
days.    Sergeant  in  Co.  B,  5  Mass.  Vol. 

Woodis,  John.  b.  1820.  M.  Nov.  20,  1861.  Private  in 
Co.  D,  81  Mass.  Vol.  Detailed  as  nurse  in  the  Regimental 
Hospital.  Dis.  June  18,  1862  for  disability,  and  died  soon 
after  in  New  Orleans. 

Woodward,  Charles  E.  b.  1834.  M.  Dec.  2,  1801.  Pri- 
vate in  Co.  D,  31  Mass.  Vol.  Dis.  Nov.  23,  1863  for  disa- 
bility.   E.  at  Bisland  and  Siege  of  Port  Hudson. 

Wright,  Willard  E.    Private  in  Co.  C,  52  Mass.  Vol. 


I 


WARE  VILLAGE  — ABOUT  18Jt5 
From  an  Old  Pattern  Card 


XI 

Miscellaneous  Town  Subjects 

Manufactures 

The  value  of  the  water-power  afforded  by  the  Ware  River 
was  recognized  at  an  early  date,  the  river  dropping  seventy 
feet  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile;  but  with  the  excep- 
tion of  saw  and  grist  mills  already  described,  there  was  no 
utilization  of  the  power  until  after  1813,  when  Alpheus 
Demond  and  Col.  Thomas  Denny  purchased  the  Magoon 
property,  consisting  of  some  400  acres  of  land,  for  $4,500. 
They  built  a  new  dam  above  where  the  lower  stone  bridge 
now  stands,  repaired  the  saw-mill  and  grist-mill,  started 
two  carding  machines,  and  a  small  plant  for  making  machin- 
ery. The  machine  shop  stood  just  above  the  bridge  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river.  The  carders  were  intended  to  supply 
merely  a  local  need.  Colonel  Denny  died  in  1814,  and  the 
business  was  not  pushed. 

Early  in  the  year  1821  the  entire  property  was  purchased 
by  Holbrook  and  Dexter  of  Boston  for  $15,000,  and  a  com- 
pany formed  in  which  a  number  of  wealthy  and  influential 
Boston  men  were  interested.  In  1823  the  Ware  Manufac- 
turing Co.  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  of  $600,000. 
Gardner  Green  was  president.  John  Tappan,  Samuel  Hub- 
bard and  S.  V.  S.  Wilder  were  among  the  directors.  The 
company  at  once  erected  a  woollen  mill  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  a  part  of  which  is  still  standing,  by  far  the  oldest 
of  the  factory  buildings  in  Ware. 

In  1824  the  Company  branched  out  and  built  a  large  mill, 
271  feet  long,  a  little  farther  up  the  river,  taking  its  power 
from  the  upper  falls.  Great  expense  was  involved  in  mak- 
ing the  water-power  available,  as  a  large  amount  of  ex- 
cavation through  the  solid  rock  was  necessary,  and  the 
Company  failed  within  a  few  years. 

In  the  "Gazetteer  of  Massachusetts"  published  in  1828 


222  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

a  loss  of  $88,550  to  building  and  machinery.  The  damage 
was  repaired  as  speedily  as  possible.  In  1887  No.  4  Mill 
was  erected,  and  other  improvements  were  made  in  the 
plant. 

A  few  further  notes  are  of  interest. 

In  the  season  of  1849-50  about  3,000  gallons  of  whale  oil 
were  consumed  for  lighting  the  mills. 

In  1864,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  the  Company  paid  $1.85 
per  pound  for  cotton,  the  highest  price  ever  paid. 

Assessors'  valuation  of  the  Company's  property  in  1842, 
$43,793.     Valuation  in   1910,  $1,120,050. 

January,  1840,  number  of  names  on  the  pay  roll,  211. 
Pay  roll  for  the  month,  $2,665.  In  January,  1911,  there 
were  1,875  hands  with  a  monthly  pay  roll  of  $62,000. 

Production  in  1840,  744,465  yards.  In  1910,  16,000,000 
yards  of  cloth,  and  360,000  dozens  underwear. 

Like  all  others,  the  Company  originally  paid  its  employees 
semi-annually,  and  the  help  lived  on  credit  from  the  Com- 
pany's store.  The  first  store  was  where  the  library  now 
stands.  Later  the  store  was  in  the  building  now  used  as  a 
counting-room. 

Abstract  from  letter  from  the  treasurer  of  the  Otis  Com- 
pany to  Mr.  Henry  Lyon,  resident  agent,  Dec.  28,  1842: 

We  find  that  most,  if  not  all,  of  your  neighboring  manu- 
facturers pay  but  quarterly,  and  if  you  once  commence 
paying  monthly  you  will  be  obliged  to  continue  to  do  so,  as 
you  cannot  alter  back,  and  quarterly  payments  seem  to  us 
reasonable,  and  often  enough.  —  We  supposed  when  we 
altered  from  half  yearly  to  3  mos.  that  it  would  have  been 
satisfactory  to  the  operatives  and  if  they  now  require  monthly 
payments  they  will  soon  want  weekly,  and  on  the  whole  we 
all  think  you  had  better  continue  to  make  up  your  payroll 
and  pay  off  your  operatives  once  a  quarter  (as  at  present). 

In  1841  Messrs.  George  H.  Gilbert  and  Charles  A.  Stevens 
purchased  that  part  of  the  Hampshire  Manufacturing 
Company's  property  that  was  situated  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  river  for  $25,000,  and  formed  the  partnership  of 
Gilbert  &  Stevens.  Mr.  Gilbert  was  born  in  Brooklyn, 
Connecticut,  in  1806.  At  an  early  age  he  went  to  Pomfret, 
Connecticut,  then  to  Sutton,  then  to  Worcester,  Massachu- 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS         223 

setts,  where  he  gained  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  business 
of  a  machinist.  In  1832  he  removed  to  North  Andover, 
whence  he  came  to  Ware. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  born  in  North  Andover  in  1816,  and  from 
a  boy  was  connected  with  the  woollen  business. 

Gilbert  &  Stevens  at  first  manufactured  broadcloth  and 
cloakings.  Two  years  later  they  ceased  making  these  goods 
and  began  the  manufacture  of  fine  flannels.  The  business 
increased  rapidly,  and  in  1846  the  "Granite  Mill  "  below 
the  bridge  was  constructed  of  stone  from  the  Coney  quarries. 

In  1846  John  Brown,  the  famous  abolitionist,  was  a  wool 
dealer  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Perkins  &  Brown,  and  in  the  office  of  the  Gilbert  Co.  hangs 
a  framed  bill  of  a  lot  of  wool  sold  by  them  to  Gilbert 
&  Stevens. 

So  successful  were  Gilbert  &  Stevens  in  the  manufacture 
of  flannels  that  their  goods  were  awarded  the  highest  prize 
—  a  gold  medal  —  at  the  Great  Exhibition  in  Crystal 
Palace,  London,  in  1851. 

In  that  same  year  the  firm  was  dissolved  and  the  prop- 
erty divided.  Mr.  Gilbert  took  the  new  lower  mill,  while 
Mr.  Stevens  received  the  old  "Ware  W^oollen  Mill." 

In  1857  Mr.  Gilbert  gave  his  nephew  Mr.  Lewis  N.  Gil- 
bert an  interest  in  the  business,  and  the  firm  became  George 
H.  Gilbert  &  Co.  In  1860  the  firm  purchased  land  in  Hard- 
wick  upon  which  the  village  of  Gilbertville  has  grown  up. 
On  account  of  the  increasing  size  of  the  business  it  was  de- 
cided in  1868  to  incorporate  the  same,  and  the  firm  became 
"The  George  H.  Gilbert  Manufacturing  Co."  with  a  capital 
of  $250,000.  The  capital  was  increased  to  $600,000  in  1883, 
and  to  $1,000,000  in  1886.  Mr.  George  H.  Gilbert  died  in 
the  spring  of  1869. 

In  September,  1851,  the  employees  numbered  72,  and  the 
monthly  pay  roll  was  $1,043.  In  January,  1911  (Gilbertville 
included),  the  employees  numbered  1,594,  and  the  monthly 
pay  roll  was  $61,OOo! 

In  1851  120,000  lbs.  wool  in  the  grease  were  consumed, 
and  in  1910  6,900,000  lbs. 

The  present  product  consists  entirely  of  woollens  and 
worsteds  for  men's  wear. 


224  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

After  the  dissolution  of  the  firm  of  Gilbert  &  Stevens  in 
1851,  Mr.  Stevens  continued  the  manufacture  of  fine  flan- 
nels. He  enlarged  the  old  mill  and  in  1870  put  up  a  new 
building.  Mr.  Stevens's  son,  Mr.  Charles  E.  Stevens  was 
taken  into  partnership  in  1872  and  has  carried  on  the 
business  since  the  death  of  the  senior  member  of  the  firm, 
April  5,  1892.  The  product  of  the  mill  is  entirely  white 
goods,  —  flannels  and  broadcloths.  About  250  hands  are 
employed  and  the  monthly  pay  roll  is  $C,000. 

An  important  industry  of  the  village  in  former  times  was 
the  manufacture  of  straw  goods,  which  was  commenced  in 
1832  by  John  B.  Fairbank,  and  was  afterward  carried  on  by 
Avery  Clark,  Lorenzo  Demond,  C.  E.  and  H.  S.  Blood,  and 
others. 

Clark's  shop,  which  employed  a  large  number  of  girls, 
stood  in  the  open  lot  east  of  the  Sandford  house.  The  build- 
ing was  afterwards  moved,  and  now  stands  below  the  bridge 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  Blood's  shop  stood  on  the  east 
side  of  South  Street  near  Charles.  Besides  the  work  done 
in  the  shops,  straw-sewing  was  done  largely  in  the  homes 
about  town.  Barber's  Historical  Collections,  published  in 
1839,  gives  the  following  statistics  for  the  year  1837: 

Straw  bonnets  manufactured,  85,000,  valued  at  $114,832. 
Palm-leaf  hats,  79,000,  valued  at  $10,870. 

Boots  and  shoes  were  made  in  Ware  in  considerable 
quantities.  The  figures  for  1837  give  867  pairs  of  boots  and 
61,623  pairs  of  shoes,  valued  at  $53,104.  Manufacturing 
was  mainly  carried  on  in  small  shops,  and  at  benches  set  up 
in  the  various  homes  where  men  could  make  use  of  their 
leisure  time.  A  small  manufacturing  establishment  was 
run  by  Mayo  &  Freeman,  who  kept  a  store  in  connection 
with  it.  Another  firm  was  that  of  Guild  &  Lamb,  who 
did  not,  however,  continue  long  in  the  business.  About 
1875  a  number  of  business  men  contributed  enough  to  enable 
a  man  named  Utley  to  establish  a  factory.  About  $4,000 
was  invested  in  machinery,  but  within  a  year  the  establish- 
ment burned.  The  last  of  the  old  shops  was  owned  by 
George  Eddy  and  stood  on  Eddy  Hill.    One  of  Mr.  Eddy's 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        225 

specialties  was  a  shoe  intended  for  wear  in  powder-factories, 
being  constructed  entirely  without  metal. 

The  J.  T.  Wood  Co.,  which  came  to  Ware  from  West 
Brookfield  in  1896,  makes  a  specialty  of  the  manufacture  of 
high-cut  shoes  for  men.  At  the  present  time  they  employ 
about  100  hands,  and  their  daily  output  is  from  500  to  GOO 
pairs  of  shoes. 

Snell's  Augers 

The  one  unique  business  of  a  former  generation  was  the 
manufacture  of  augers.  Thomas  Snell,  son  of  Polycarpus 
Snell,  removed  to  Ware  from  Bridgewater  about  1790. 
He  acquired  a  farm  of  135  acres  in  the  Flat  Brook  Valley,  but 
his  special  business  was  blacksmithing.  It  is  claimed  that 
he  was  the  first  to  manufacture  twisted  augers  in  America, 
and  the  first  to  make  "  bight "  augers  in  any  country.  He  was 
at  any  rate  a  mechanical  genius,  and  undoubtedly  originated 
his  own  method  of  manufacture.  It  is  related  on  the  author- 
ity of  his  son,  Deacon  Thomas  Snell,  Jr.,  that  he  made  augers 
in  Ware  soon  after  1790.  These  early  augers  were  made  of 
iron  with  just  enough  steel  welded  to  the  end  to  make  the 
cutting  part.  They  were  called  steel-cut  augers.  The 
shank  was  long  and  left  in  the  rough  and  the  implement  was 
known  as  a  "  tanged  "  auger. 

Thomas  Snell,  Sen.,  and  Susanna  his  wife  had  a  large 
family.  Seventeen  children  were  born  to  them,  the  first 
in  1792,  the  last  in  1819.  Among  them  were  Thomas,  Jr., 
born  in  1798,  and  Melville,  born  in  1804.  It  was  probably 
not  until  these  two  were  grown  that  the  business  assumed 
very  considerable  proportions.  The  shops  were  located  on 
Flat  Brook  about  a  mile  above  the  meeting-house,  and  at 
their  best  employed  twenty  men.  The  augers  were  taken  to 
Boston  to  be  sold,  a  load  of  steel,  iron  and  supplies  being 
brought  back  in  exchange.  The  value  of  the  augers  is  given 
by  Barber  as  $4,500  in  1837.  In  1839  Melville  Snell,  son  of 
Thomas,  Sen.,  went  to  Providence  where  he  made  bits  a 
couple  of  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  Sturbridge.  Otis 
and  Lucius,  sons  of  Thomas,  Jr.,  followed  their  uncle  to  Stur- 
bridge in  1844  and  1850  respectively.     Deacon  Thomas 


226  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

carried  on  the  business  at  the  lower  shop  in  Ware  for  a  few 
years,  when,  about  1854,  he  too  removed  to  Sturbridge,  and 
the  business  of  making  augers  in  Ware  came  to  an  end. 

Thomas,  Sen.,  besides  general  blaeksmithing  and  auger 
making,  ran  a  grist-mill  on  the  brook.  Toll  for  grinding  was 
two  quarts  per  bushel  for  corn,  and  three  for  rye  and  wheat. 

The  Snells  were  famed  for  their  musical  ability.  All  were 
singers,  and  several  played  musical  instruments.  Deacon 
Thomas  Snell  served  two  terms  in  the  Legislature,  in  1838 
and  1839. 

The  Old  Stone  Mill 

A  stone  grist-mill  stood  for  many  years  on  the  east  bank 
of  Ware  River  near  the  end  of  the  upper  stone  bridge.  No 
records  have  been  found  throwing  light  on  the  date  of  its 
construction,  but  it  is  remembered  as  being,  in  the  sixties, 
already  an  old  building.  Very  likely  it  was  built  to  replace 
the  Magoon  Mill  which  stood  at  the  Stevens  dam  soon 
after  the  Ware  Manufacturing  Company  came  into  exist- 
ence. In  1850  the  Otis  Company  leased  to  Lydia  E,  Peters 
of  Ware,  widow-woman, 

a  certain  parcel  of  land  situated  on  the  easterly  side  of 
Ware  river  and  northerly  side  of  the  highway  leading  from 
s  ^  Ware  to  West  Brookfield  upon  which  now  stands  a  certain 
stone  grist  mill  belonging  to  s^  Lydia,  together  with  the 
privilege  of  using  the  surplus  water  not  wanted  by  said  Otis 
Co.,  the  same  being  at  all  times  subject  to  &  under  the  con- 
trol of  s'^  Company:  To  have  and  to  hold  for  the  term  of 
nineteen  years,  .  .  .  yielding  and  paying  therefore  the  sum 
of  one  dollar  for  each  and  every  year  during  said  term, 

provision  being  made  for  annulling  the  lease.  Soon  after 
this  the  Widow  Peters  conveyed  her  rights  to  Jason  Gorham 
of  Barre,  who  in  1853  sold  to  George  C.  Jennison  and 
Samuel  Morse  of  Ware.  Jennison  conveyed  his  interest 
in  1855  to  Beaman  B.  Sibley  and  Rensalaer  Topliff.  Samuel 
Morse  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Ansel  Ross,  who  in  turn 
sold  to  Sibley  &  Topliff.  In  the  same  year,  1855,  Sibley  & 
Topliff  conveyed  their  interest  to  William  S.  Knight,  who 
within  a  month  transferred  the  property  and  rights  to  the 


THE    OLD    STONE    GRIST-MILL    AND 
FURNACE  BRIDGE 

Both  Mill  and  Bridge  were  wrecked  by  the 
flood  of  October,  1SG9. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS         227 

Otis  Company.  The  mill  was  operated  until  it  was  wrecked 
by  the  spring  freshet  of  18G9,  which  also  destroyed  the  old 
stone  bridge. 

Schools 

The  first  action  taken  by  the  Parish  in  regard  to  schools 
appears  in  the  records  under  date  of  1757,  when  it  was 

Voted  to  Devid  ye  Peraish  into  two  parts  for  a  scool, 
and  flat  Brook  to  be  ye  deviding  Line. 

Voted  Joseph  Scott  to  take  care  of  the  West  part.  Voted 
William  Brackenridge  to  take  care  of  the  East  Part. 

There  is  no  record  of  money  being  raised  for  schooling 
until  after  the  incorporation  as  a  District  in  1761.  In  1762 
it  was 

Voted  to  devid  the  District  into  four  Quarters,  et  &  wt, 
Beginning  South  of  Benjamin  GriflSn's  Hous,  to  the  meten 
Hous,  from  there  to  Mr.  Rutherford's  Barn,  from  there  to 
Ebenizar  Gilbrt's  Barn,  and  So  N.  &  S't  by  flat  Brook. 
Voted  to  Rais  twelve  pounds  for  Schooling.  Voted  that 
Eatch  Quarter  Shal  Shool  out  there  part  within  the  year 
or  be  forfit. 

The  same  sum  was  granted  the  next  year.  In  1771  the 
amount  was  reduced  to  four  pounds,  to  be  increased  in  1772 
to  fourteen  pounds.  In  1774  the  sum  of  fifteen  pounds  was 
raised.  Then  came  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  no  further 
grants  for  education  until  1782,  when  twenty  pounds  was 
raised,  the  districts  remaining  as  formerly.  In  this  year  it 
was  proposed  that  a  schoolhouse  be  placed  near  the  meet- 
ing house,  but  the  proposal  did  not  materialize  until  1786. 
At  the  March  meeting  of  the  latter  year  it  was  voted  to  build 
six  schoolhouses,  for  which  purpose  seventy-two  pounds 
was  appropriated,  and  three  men  chosen  "for  each  school- 
house  quarter,"  Jonathan  Marsh,  Samuel  Densmore,  Moses 
Brown,  for  Mr.  Densmore's  quarter.  This  was  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  town.  Jonathan  Foster,  Simeon  Cum- 
mings,  James  Brakenridge,  for  Dr.  Demmon's  quarter.  This 
was  the  middle  section  of  the  northern  half  of  the  town. 
Samuel  Cleland,  Abraham  Thayer,  Isaac  Pepper,  north-west 


228  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

quarter,  John  Quinton,  Lieut.  Bullen,  James  Lammon,  south- 
west quarter.  Lieut.  Cummings,  Joseph  Cummings,  Samuel 
Brown,  south-east  quarter.  Ebenezer  Nye,  John  Adams, 
William  Page,  for  the  middle  quarter.  It  was  further  voted 
that  2s.  Sd.  per  day  should  be  paid  to  common  hands,  and 
3s.  per  day  for  carpenters,  and  that  "if  any  refuse  to  work 
out  their  tax,  that  the  Bills  shall  be  committed  to  the 
Constable." 

It  was  ordered  that  the  schoolhouses  be  completed  by  the 
lirst  of  the  following  November. 

So  decided  a  step  forward  at  a  period  of  extreme  poverty 
is  difficult  to  account  for,  unless  by  the  influence  exerted 
by  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Hallock,  who  preached  in  W^are  the 
preceding  summer,  and  whose  influence  on  the  town  was 
very  marked. 

That  the  schoolhouses  were  not  built  as  speedily  as  was 
expected  is  evident  from  a  vote  of  the  following  year,  1787. 
In  that  year,  besides  £30  for  schooling,  £36  was  voted  "to 
build  the  schoolhouses,"  and  the  committee  of  the  pre- 
vious year  reappointed.  Again  in  1791  the  town  voted  £36 
for  schooling  and  £12  to  build  a  schoolhouse  by  the  meeting- 
house, Deacon  Wm.  Paige,  George  Breakenridge  and  Deacon 
Daniel  Gould  being  appointed  a  committee  for  the  work. 
This  time  we  may  be  sure  the  building  was  erected,  for  in 
1792-93  the  selectmen's  records,  which  began  in  1789, 
show  that  Deacon  Gould  and  Deacon  Paige  drew  £4„16 
each,  and  Mr.  Breakenridge  £4„10 ;  this  besides  the  payments 
to  the  regular  committee  on  schooling.  An  interesting  entry 
of  1784  is  this:  "Voted  to  allow  Mr.  Samuel  Clark  an  order 
for  £l„17„6  for  his  keeping  school."  Another  of  1793: 
"To  Erasmus  Shumway  for  keeping  school  £4." 

The  year  1794  marks  another  step  forward.  The  Rev. 
Reuben  Moss  had  become  minister  of  the  parish  in  1792, 
and  his  interest  in  education  was  beginning  to  show  salutary 
results.  Mr.  Moss  left  a  reputation  for  efficiency  along  edu- 
cational lines,  the  result  of  which  was  far-reaching.  He 
gave  much  effort  to  preparing  young  men  for  the  work  of 
teaching,  both  in  this  and  in  neighboring  towns.  No  town 
in  this  vicinity,  it  is  said,  furnished  so  many  teachers. 
Moral  and  educational  standards  were  greatly  raised  as 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        229 

the  result  of  his  labors.  Hon.  Joseph  Cummings  taught 
seven  winters  in  New  Braintree,  receiving  $20  per  month, 
being  much  more  than  was  usually  paid  in  those  times. 

One  of  Mr.  Moss's  methods  was  to  assemble  the  different 
schools  yearly  in  the  meeting-house  for  a  public  competition 
in  reading,  spelling  and  the  Shorter  Catechism,  honorable 
mention  being  the  prize  for  greatest  eflBciency. 

Two  quaintly  worded  certificates  have  been  preserved  as 
heirlooms : 

Ware,  Aug.  11th,  1803. 

This  may  certify  that  Miss  Abigail  Gould  appears  to  have 
acquired  Learning  sufficient  to  render  her  capable  of  teaching 
children  the  rudiments  of  Spelling,  reading,  grammar,  and 
decent  behavior. 

Reuben  Moss,  A.M. 

Ware,  May  20,  1805. 

This  may  certify  that  Miss  Abigail  Gould  appears  to  be 
an  amiable,  modest  young  Lady,  and  as  far  as  I  know,  sus- 
tains a  fair  character. 

Reuben  Moss,V.D.M. 

The  usual  wages  for  teaching  ranged,  in  the  early  years, 
from  four  dollars  a  month  to  eight  dollars  for  female  teach- 
ers, and  from  ten  dollars  a  month  upwards  for  men. 

The  teachers  invariably  "boarded  around,"  dividing 
their  time  among  the  various  families  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  children  of  school  age  in  each. 

In  a  district  where  there  were  few  families  with  many 
children  the  teacher  would  stay  several  weeks  in  the  same 
house,  but  where  families  were  small  his  moves  were  fre- 
quent. The  assistance  given  to  the  children  during  the 
long  evenings  was  often,  where  the  teacher  was  devoted  to  his 
work,  of  even  more  value  than  that  rendered  during  school 
hours,  and  the  teacher  won  a  hearty  welcome  by  such 
helpfulness. 

The  whole  custom  of  "boarding  around"  went  out  about 
1850. 

Meanwhile,  though  a  schoolhouse  was  placed  at  the 
Centre,  the  others  voted  in  1786-87  hung  fire.  In  1797 
it  was  voted  to  build  the  proposed  schoolhouses  agreeable 


230  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

to  the  report  of  the  former  committee.  A  committee  was 
also  appointed  to  determine  where  they  should  stand. 
Later  in  the  year  another  committee  was  appointed  to  de- 
cide how  large  it  would  be  necessary  to  build  them.  At  an 
adjourned  meeting  on  May  8,  £20  each  was  voted  for  these 
sclioolhouses,  and  a  committee  consisting  of  Deacon  Daniel 
Gould,  George  Thrasher  and  John  Shaw  was  appointed  to 
superintend  the  work  of  construction. 

In  1800  $266.67  was  voted  for  the  support  of  schools. 
The  amount  was  advanced  to  $320  in  1805,  and  the  same 
year  it  was  voted  to  re-district  the  town  into  eight  dis- 
tricts, an  act  that  threw  the  town  into  confusion  for  years. 
Schoolhouses  had  to  be  relocated,  and  in  some  f  instances 
were  moved  bodily.  Men  petitioned  to  be  set  off  from  one 
district  and  annexed  to  another,  and  then  to  be  set  back 
again.  In  one  instance  two  districts  joined  together,  pro- 
vided themselves  with  three  schoolhouses,  and  proceeded  to 
hold  sessions  a  third  of  the  time  in  each. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Moss  was  making  his  salutary  influence 
felt  on  the  school  work,  and  in  1807  the  town  voted  "that 
the  school-committee  take  into  consideration  the  communi- 
cation made  by  Rev.  Mr.  Moss,  and  recommend  to  the  several 
districts  such  books  as  they  shall  think  proper  to  be  used  in 
our  schools." 

In  1814  the  school  appropriation  was  advanced  to  $400; 
in  1825  to  $600;  in  1830  to  $790;  in  1835  to  $800;  in  1836 
to  $1,000,  divided  as  follows:  District  No.  1  to  have  $500. 
Districts  No.  2-9,  $60  each.     District  No.  10,  $100. 

In  1839  the  appropriation  was  $1,250  with  an  additional 
grant  of  $80  from  the  State.  In  1841  the  appropriation 
drops  to  $1,000,  and  in  1843  was  increased  to  $1,100. 

The  number  of  school  districts  varied  at  different  periods 
according  to  the  need.  For  some  years  previous  to  1847  the 
town  was  divided  into  ten  districts,  but  in  that  year  Dis- 
trict No.  8  was  abolished  at  its  own  request,  reducing  the 
number  to  nine.  The  old  No.  8  comprised  that  portion  of 
the  town  just  north  of  the  French  cemetery. 

Not  far  from  the  year  1820  the  first  "Select  School  for 
Young  Ladies  "  was  opened  in  Ware,  and  was  taught  by 
Miss  Caroline  Dutch  of  Utica,  New  York.     Miss  Dutch  was 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        231 

a  relative  of  Deacon  Eli  Snow's  family.  She  taught  writing 
in  fancy  styles,  and  ornamental  work  of  some  sorts,  such  as 
were  considered  accomplishments  at  that  time.  She  also 
introduced  "Cumming's  Geography"  with  an  atlas.  But 
above  all  she  gave  careful  training  in  "deportment." 

In  all  the  schools  pupils  were  required  to  "make  their 
manners,"  the  boys  to  bow  and  the  girls  to  curtsy  to  their 
teachers  as  they  came  forward  to  recite,  and  also  when 
leaving  the  schoolroom  at  the  end  of  the  session. 

Up  to  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century 
the  Shorter  Catechism  was  taught  regularly  in  the  schools, 
but  times  were  changing.  "  The  Catechism  had  to  be  dropped 
when  a  few  carping  spirits  who  were  offended  for  other  rea- 
sons raised  a  cry  of  sectarianism;  and  teachers  began  to 
make  more  of  science  than  of  morals."  ^ 

Up  to  the  year  1844  the  school  affairs  of  the  whole  town 
were  settled  in  town  meeting.  In  that  year  there  was  a 
change,  each  district  being  permitted  to  choose  its  own 
prudential  committee.  From  this  time  a  considerable  degree 
of  independence  was  permitted  to  the  districts,  the  several 
committees  being  authorized  to  select  teachers  and  contract 
with  them,  an  arrangement  that  did  not  give  the  best  results 
in  the  quality  of  schooling  supplied.  The  town,  however, 
elected  a  "Superintending  Committee  of  Schools,"  consisting 
of  three  members,  whose  oversight  was  of  great  value.  Each 
district  built  and  owned  the  schoolhouses  within  its  limits, 
raising  all  moneys  except  for  "schooling"  independently. 
There  was  almost  a  complete  district  autonomy.  The  in- 
dependent district  system  lasted  many  years,  though  the 
question  of  abolishing  it  was  continually  argued  both  in 
and  out  of  town  meeting.  Not  until  1869  was  the  vote  passed 
by  which  the  town  as  a  whole  assumed  ownership  of  all 
property,  and  charge  of  all  the  schools,  an  act  which  created 
dissatisfaction  in  many  quarters  and  called  forth  petitions 
for  a  return  to  the  old  system.  The  vote  of  1869  was  regarded 
as  virtually  abolishing  the  districts. 

In  1847  $1,600  was  appropriated  for  schools,  to  be 
divided  equally  among  seventeen  schools,  allowing  eight 
schools  to  District  No.  1. 

1  From  a  MS.  of  Miss  Cornelia  Gould. 


232  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

About  this  time  a  movement  toward  a  more  advanced 
institution  of  learning  was  set  on  foot.  The  records  are  at 
first  sight  somewhat  confusing,  but  become  clear  when  we 
realize  that  the  terms  "Grammar  School"  and  "High 
School  "  were  used  interchangeably  for  some  years. 

The  first  move  was  in  1846,  when  the  Committee  appointed 
to  build  a  Town  Hall  was  authorized  to  construct  in  the 
second  story  (the  basement  counted  as  the  first  story)  a 
room  for  a  Grammar  School.  Though  the  hall  and  school- 
room were  completed  the  following  year,  no  provision  for  a 
public  school  was  made.    In  1848  it  was 

Voted  to  instruct  the  Select  Men  and  School  Committee 
to  give  the  use  of  the  Grammar  School  Room  to  some  in- 
dividuals who  may  wish  to  establish  a  High  School,  and 
who  they  shall  judge  a  suitable  person  for  such  a  school. 

In  1849  it  was  voted  to  establish  a  Grammar  School. 
Also  voted  to  raise  $2,000  for  the  support  of  schools,  Dis- 
trict No.  1  to  receive  $1,100,  No.  9  $200,  and  each  of  the 
other  districts  $100.  The  will  of  the  town  does  not  seem, 
however,  to  have  been  carried  out  that  year,  and  in  1850 
a  more  explicit  vote  was  passed:  "That  the  Town 
School  Committee  be  authorized  to  establish  a  Grammar 
School  in  the  town  school  room  in  the  village  on  or  near  the 
first  of  September  next."  At  the  same  time  $2,000  was 
appropriated  for  schools  with  an  additional  $300  for  the 
Grammar  School.  The  following  year  an  appropriation  of 
$600  was  made  "to  support  the  Town  High  School  for  the 
year  ensuing."  In  1852  it  was  "Voted  that  the  School 
Committee  be  instructed  to  hold  one  term  of  the  Grammar 
School  ^  in  the  centre  of  the  town  during  the  year,"  —  a 
custom  followed  for  several  years. 

The  history  of  the  beginnings  of  advanced  education  has 
been  given  in  detail  that  the  present  generation  may  realize 
in  some  degree  the  development  that  took  place  during  the 
last  half  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

It  would  be  dilBScult  to  determine  the  date  of  building  the 
first  schoolhouse  in  the  village.    The  earliest  recollections 

*  Here  and  in  other  places  it  is  "Grammar  School  "  in  the  test  of  the  records, 
aad  "High  School  "  in  the  margin. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        233 

tell  of  the  "Old  Red  Schoolhouse  "  standing  on  the  site 
of  the  North  Street  school.  Contemporary  with  it  was  the 
"Old  White  Schoolhouse"  which  stood  at  the  corner  of 
Chestnut  and  Maple  Streets  on  the  lot  where  the  Orrin  Sage 
house  now  stands.  When  Avery  Clark  bought  the  land 
the  schoolhouse  was  moved  across  Chestnut  Street,  a  little 
further  south,  there  occupied  until  some  time  after  the 
building  of  the  first  brick  schoolhouse  on  South  Street  in 
1865. 

In  1847  the  village  district  purchased  of  D.  P.  Billings  for 
$350  a  lot  on  Third  Street,  afterwards  named  High  Street, 
on  which  a  two-room  building  was  erected  by  the  district. 
This  was  the  present  High  Street  building,  though  at  a  later 
date,  in  1869,  it  was  doubled  in  size  by  the  addition  of  a 
second  story  .^  In  1849  there  were  six  schools  in  District  No.  1, 
with  two  sessions  of  three  months  each.  A  third  term  was 
added  this  year.  The  average  attendance  was  134.  As  the 
schoolhouses  provided  but  four  rooms,  other  accommoda- 
tions were  hired  by  the  committee.  The  report  of  1858  shows 
a  total  of  489  pupils  attending  school  in  the  district. 

The  building  of  the  South  Street  school  at  a  cost  of  about 
$13,000  was  the  last  important  undertaking  before  the 
abolishing  of  the  districts  in  1869. 

The  handsome  and  commodious  High  School  building  on 
Church  Street  was  erected  in  1893. 

The  new  South  Street  building  was  constructed  in  1901. 

The  Library 

The  first  library  in  our  town  dates  from  1796.^  On  September 
5  of  that  year  "The  Subscribers  for  a  Librarian  Society  " 
met  at  the  schoolhouse  near  the  meeting-house.  They 
chose  Rev.  Reuben  Moss  chairman  and  Isaac  Pepper  clerk, 
and  appointed  these  two  men,  with  Daniel  Gould,  a  com- 
mittee "to  draw  up  articles  of  rules  and  regulations  for 
said  society."  One  dollar  was  contributed  by  each  subscriber 
for  the  purchase  of  books. 

1  This  addition  pro^nded  accommodations  for  the  High  School,  which  was 
kept  here  for  twenty  years. 

^  The  Proprietors'  Record  Book,  just  brought  to  light,  furnishes  authentic  infor- 
mation concerning  this  interesting  matter. 


234  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

In  November  Rev.  Mr.  Moss  was  chosen  librarian,  and 
about  fifty  volumes  were  purchased.  Sermons,  histories, 
and  philosophical  essays  predominated.  The  fiction  was 
represented  by  "  The  Mysteries  of  Udolpho,'*  *'  Pilgrim's 
Progress"  and  "The  Hermit." 

Among  the  regulations  we  find  the  following : 

In  order  that  the  property  of  the  Society  may  be  pre- 
served the  following  fines  shall  be  imposed  in  case  of  delin- 
quency whilst  a  book  is  in  the  possession  of  any  proprietor. 
For  every  leaf  that  appears  to  have  been  turned  down, 
three  cents.  For  every  drop  of  grease  from  a  candle,  lamp 
or  any  other  way,  from  six  to  twenty-five  cents  at  the  esti- 
mation of  the  Librarian  or  the  committee  of  inspection. 
For  effacing  a  book  with  dirty  hands  or  any  other  way, 
from  eight  to  twenty-five  cents.  For  tearing  a  leaf  or  injur- 
ing the  cover  not  less  than  five  cents,  and  as  much  more  as 
the  Librarian  or  the  committee  of  inspection  shall  deter- 
mine. 

Books  could  be  drawn  any  day  except  Sunday. 

The  Society  continued,  and  its  members  attended  to  de- 
tails of  business,  up  to  1808.  Meetings  were  held  at  the 
schoolhouse,  at  Joshua  Crowell's  tavern,  or  at  private 
houses.  Occasional  assessments  of  from  25  to  373^  cents  were 
made,  and  new  books  were  added  to  the  collection.  The 
matter  of  fines  was  carefully  looked  after. 

Voted  to  remit  one-half  of  Stephen  Pepper's  fine  (viz) 
Seven  cents.  Voted  to  remit  Wm.  Patrick's  fine  if  he  pay 
eleven  cents.  Voted  to  remit  one-half  of  Doc.  King's  fine  if 
he  pay  twelve  cents. 

In  January,  1808,  the  number  of  proprietors  was  47.  In  this 
year  the  Society  was  incorporated  in  accordance  with  an  act 
of  the  Legislature,  and  a  Constitution  and  By-laws  were 
adopted.  The  name  was  changed  to  "The  Proprietors  of  the 
Social  Library  in  the  Town  of  Ware."  The  twelfth  article  of 
the  Constitution  provided  that  when  the  common  stock 
should  amount  to  a  certain  number  of  volumes  (number  not 
yet  determined  upon),  the  citizens  at  large  should  have  access 
to  the  library  on  condition  of  a  small  payment.  An  inter- 
esting item  of  the  by-laws  provided  that  new  books  should 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS         235 

be  put  up  at  public  vendue  "to  see  who  will  bid  and  pay 
upon  the  spot  most  for  the  first,  second,  third,  etc.  reading." 
Bids  are  thereafter  recorded  of  from  one  to  six  cents  for 
such  privileges.  In  1812  the  premium  for  a  first  reading 
was  as  high  as  twenty-four  cents. 

The  library  flourished  for  many  years,  and  the  names  of 
the  best  citizens  of  the  town  are  recorded  as  officers  and  pro- 
prietors. Suddenly,  without  any  apparent  warning,  the 
whole  thing  comes  to  an  end.  On  Dec.  30,  1822,  a  legal 
meeting  of  the  Society  was  held.  Wm.  Bowdoin  was  mod- 
erator, Leonard  Gould  clerk,  Eli  Snow  librarian,  James 
Breakenridge,  Jr.,  collector,  John  Gardner  treasurer,  Amasa 
Anderson,  Wm.  Bowdoin  and  Rev.  Samuel  Ware  standing 
committee.  It  was  voted  that  the  tax  of  50  cents  levied  at 
the  last  annual  meeting  "be  disannulled,"  and  that  the  books 
of  the  Society  be  sold  at  auction,  the  proceeds  to  be  divided 
among  the  several  shareholders.  Here  the  records  come  to  an 
end. 

Two  years  later,  when  manufacturing  first  began  in  Ware 
Village  in  1824,  the  "Mechanics'  and  Manufacturers' 
Library  "  was  organized,  and  with  a  good  collection  of  books 
was  maintained  for  many  years.  The  books  were  moved 
from  place  to  place,  and  interest  in  the  library  fluctuated. 
In  1844  it  was  unanimously  voted  "that  the  library  is  in  a 
deplorable  condition."  It  was  somewhat  revived  by  S.  J. 
Wethrell  in  1850,  and  again  in  1853  by  A.  L.  Devens,  the 
agent  of  the  Manufacturing  Co.  In  1861  the  Proprietors 
placed  the  books  in  the  care  of  the  "Ware  Natural  Historj^ 
Society,"  where  they  remained  for  ten  years.  On  March  30, 
1871,  "The  Young  Men's  Debating  Society  "  was  organized 
with  twenty-one  members,  the  avowed  object  being  self-cul- 
ture, as  stated  in  the  Constitution.  Meetings  were  held  once 
a  week,  the  exercises  consisting  of  debates,  orations,  parlia- 
mentary practice  and  the  reading  of  papers  by  members  of 
the  club.  A  room  was  secured  in  Sandford's  Block  and  effort 
was  put  forth  to  make  the  meetings  profitable. 

In  the  fall  of  1871  it  was  determined  to  open  a  public 
reading-room.  This  was  hardly  in  successful  operation  be- 
fore it  was  decided  to  add  a  library.  The  sum  of  $300  was 
raised  among  the  business  men  of  the  town,  and  the  remnant 


236  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

of  the  old  library  —  about  400  volumes  —  was  placed  in 
the  charge  of  the  Debating  Society.  The  library  was  opened 
to  the  public  on  Feb.  28,  1872,  with  700  volumes.  An  an- 
nual fee  of  two  dollars  was  charged  for  the  privilege  of  taking 
books.  This  arrangement  not  working  well,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  apply  for  a  special  act  of  incorporation  which  should 
allow  the  town,  on  condition  that  the  library  be  made  free  to 
all  the  inhabitants,  to  appropriate  money  for  its  support, 
while  allowing  the  library  to  remain  under  the  management 
of  the  Society.  A  petition  embodying  the  idea  was  pre- 
sented to  the  proper  committee  of  the  Legislature  in  1872. 
In  reply  the  petitioners  were  informed  that,  instead  of  grant- 
ing a  special  act,  the  substance  of  what  was  asked  for  would 
be  recommended  as  a  general  law  to  apply  to  towns  through- 
out the  Commonwealth.  The  law  went  into  effect  in  April, 
1872,  and  the  Debating  Society  at  once  reorganized  under 
the  present  corporate  name  of  the  Young  Men's  Library  Asso- 
ciation. Its  members  had  the  honor  of  suggesting  the  law, 
and  were  the  first  to  incorporate  under  it.  The  library  stead- 
ily increased  both  in  size  and  usefulness  until  its  quarters  in 
Sandford's  Block  were  wholly  inadequate,  and  it  was  evident 
that  a  special  building  ought  to  be  provided.  In  1879  Mr. 
Calvin  Hitchcock  offered  the  lot  at  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Church  Streets  to  the  Association  as  a  gift,  provided  ten 
thousand  dollars  be  raised  for  the  erection  of  a  building.  In 
March,  1880,  Hon.  William  Hyde  met  Mr.  Hitchcock's  con- 
dition with  an  offer  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  building 
was  erected,  and  was  formally  dedicated  on  July  19,  1881. 
Since  that  time  the  number  of  volumes  has  increased  from 
less  than  4,000  to  more  than  14,000,  and  the  library  has 
become  one  of  the  most  important  institutions  of  the  town. 
Two  reading-rooms,  well  supplied  with  current  newspapers 
and  magazines,  are  maintained  in  the  building,  which  also 
serves  as  a  repository  for  articles  of  curious  and  historic 
interest. 

The  Town  Hall 

For  a  hundred  years  the  meeting-house  at  the  Centre  was 
also  the  Town  Hall,  and  there  all  town  meetings  were  held. 
The  law  of  1833,  making  the  support  of  religion  voluntary, 


PHELPS  HOTEL  — 185k 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        237 

raised  certain  questions  in  regard  to  the  rights  of  towns  in 
the  use  of  church  property.  Nevertheless  town  meetings 
continued  to  be  held  at  the  Centre  long  after  pul)lic  con- 
venience would  have  been  better  served  in  the  village. 

In  1843  the  meeting-house  was  remodelled  by  the  Society 
in  its  present  form,  and  objection  was  made  to  using  the 
auditorium  for  secular  purposes.  At  the  March  meeting, 
1843,  an  article  appeared  in  the  warrant  "to  apply  the  Sur- 
plus Revenue  to  building  a  Town  House."  The  article  was, 
however,  passed  over.  A  warrant  for  a  meeting  in  May  of 
the  same  year  contained  an  article  to  see  if  the  town  would 
accept  the  lower  story  of  the  Methodist  meeting-house, 
about  to  be  erected,  for  a  Town  Hall,  and  appropriate  part 
of  the  Surplus  Revenue  to  furnish  the  same.  This,  likewise, 
was  passed  over.  At  a  later  meeting.  May  15,  it  was  voted 
to  accept  the  lower  story  of  the  meeting-house  at  the  Centre 
for  a  Town  Hall,  provided  the  First  Congregational  Society 
give  a  satisfactory  title.  From  the  Surplus  Revenue  $500 
was  appropriated  to  fit  up  the  room.  But  the  inconvenience 
of  the  Centre  as  a  meeting-place  grew  more  and  more  appar- 
ent, and  an  article  was  placed  in  the  warrant  for  the  March 
meeting  of  1846  "to  see  if  the  town  will  build  a  Town  House 
in  the  village."  The  article  was  passed  over,  but  appeared 
again  a  month  later,  at  which  time  it  was  voted  to  choose  a 
committee  of  five  to  superintend  the  building  of  a  Town 
House.  The  limit  of  cost  was  placed  at  $2,500,  including 
land,  building  and  fixtures.  The  committee  consisted  of 
Chas.  A.  Stevens,  Joel  Rice,  Allender  Brakenridge,  Seth 
Pierce  and  Avery  Clark.  At  a  town  meeting  held  in  May 
it  was  decided  to  build  a  Grammar  Schoolroom  in  the 
upper  story  ^  of  the  Town  House,  and  $1,000  was  added  to 
the  original  appropriation.  In  November  the  work  of 
building  was  passed  over  to  the  selectmen,  who  in  April,  1847, 
asked  for  an  appropriation  of  $900  "for  heating,  lighting 
and  fixtures."  Thus  the  entire  cost  of  the  building  came 
under  $4,500.  The  hall  was  opened  with  appropriate  ex- 
ercises on  March  31,  1847,  at  which  time  was  delivered  the 
celebrated  "Historical  Address"  by  William  Hyde,  Esq. 

*  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  schoolroom  was  on  the  6rst  floor,  the  hall  on  the 
second. 


238  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

This  address  needs  no  word  of  commendation  from  any  later 
historian.  It  is  above  all  praise,  and  stands  as  the  one  real 
classic  that  our  town  has  produced.  By  formal  vote  of  the 
citizens  a  copy  of  the  address  was  requested  for  publication. 
The  pamphlet,  printed  by  Merriam  and  Cooke,  of  Brook- 
field,  is  now  extremely  rare  and  is  much  sought  after  by  col- 
lectors. 

For  twenty  years  the  old  Town  Hall  served  its  double 
purpose,  until,  in  1867,  it  was  burned  to  the  ground.  A 
most  serious  loss  was  the  destruction  of  a  great  portion  of  the 
public  records  of  the  early  j^ears.  Fortunately  the  Town 
Record  Books,  which  contain  the  minutes  of  town  meet- 
ings, had  been  removed  from  the  hall.  These,  together  with 
a  single  old  account  book,  are  all  that  have  survived. 

After  the  burning  of  the  hall,  town  meeting  was  again 
held  for  a  single  session  at  the  Centre,  after  which  "Music 
Hall"  on  Bank  Street  was  used  until  the  construction  of  the 
new  Town  Hall  on  the  site  of  the  old  one  in  1885-86. 

The  present  building  contains  all  necessary  oflBces,  dis- 
trict court-room,  etc.,  besides  an  ample  auditorium. 

The  clock  and  Westminster  chimes  were  placed  in  the 
tower  in  1901  by  the  heirs  of  the  late  John  H.  Storrs. 

The  Surplus  Revenue 

By  the  beginning  of  the  year  1835  the  national  debt  of 
the  United  States  had  been  paid  in  full.  From  that  time  a 
surplus  began  to  roll  up  in  the  Treasury  so  rapidly  as  to 
alarm  financiers,  who  feared  for  the  result  of  so  large  an 
amount  of  the  nation's  money  being  withdrawn  from 
circulation.  This  unappropriated  fund,  the  proceeds  of 
extensive  land  sales  and  of  a  high  tariff,  amounted  to 
$35,000,000  by  the  beginning  of  1836.  Congress,  after 
long  debate,  decided  that  the  money  should  be  distributed 
to  the  states  pro  rata  of  the  population  as  a  loan,  though 
the  belief  was  general  that  it  never  would  be  recalled. 

Massachusetts  received,  in  three  installments,  $1,338,173, 
and  proceeded  to  distribute  the  same  among  the  towns  of 
the  state  in  proportion  to  the  population.  Ware's  share 
approximated  $5,000.    The  use  of  the  money  thus  received 


MISCELLANEOUS   TOWN  SUBJECTS        239 

has  been  a  matter  of  considerable  interest.  In  some  states 
it  was  largely  squandered.^  New  York  made  the  best  use 
of  it,  applying  it  to  the  improvement  of  its  educational  in- 
stitutions. Massachusetts  stands  on  middle  ground,  the 
Legislature  deciding  that  it  might  be  used  for  any  purpose  for 
which  money  could  be  lawfully  raised  by  taxation. 

In  March,  1837,  Ware  voted  to  accept  the  town's  pro- 
portion of  the  Surplus  Revenue,  and  to  invest  it  in  bank 
stock.  In  August  of  the  same  year  the  latter  vote,  in  regard 
to  investment,  was  revoked,  and  a  committee  of  the  ablest 
men  in  town  was  appointed  to  take  the  subject  of  the  Sur- 
plus Revenue  into  consideration.  The  committee  in  Sep- 
tember reported  that  they  had  discussed  the  matter  with  the 
citizens  generally,  but  found  no  unanimity  of  opinion  what- 
ever. "We  find  the  citizens  divided  on  this  as  on  every 
other  subject  that  is  brought  before  them, .  .  .  some  in  favor 
of  a  pauper  establishment,  some  for  loaning  in  small  sums, 
.  .  .  some  for  dividing  it  among  the  inhabitants,  while  others 
are  in  favor  of  returning  it  to  the  State  Treasury."  The 
committee  really  favored  the  latter,  but  finally  recommended 
"that  $4,000  together  with  the  fourth  installment  (pro- 
vided we  should  receive  it)  be  loaned  to  the  Commonwealth, 
and  the  remainder  be  appropriated  for  town  expenses  for 
the  current  year."  This  recommendation  was  adopted  by 
the  town,  and  the  money  was  eventually  loaned  to  the  State, 
for  in  the  following  year  it  was  voted  to  expend  the  interest, 
amounting  to  two  hundred  dollars,  in  repairs  upon  the  high- 
ways. 

In  1839  it  was  "voted  to  authorize  the  Treasurer  to  draw 
from  the  State  Treasury  sufficient  of  the  Surplus  Revenue 
to  repair  the  road  recently  ordered  by  the  County  Commis- 
sioners from  the  hotel  in  the  Village  to  Hard  wick  Line." 
The  following  year  the  above  vote  was  confirmed. 

In  1842  it  was  voted  to  choose  a  committee  to  purchase  a 
farm  on  which  to  support  the  paupers  of  the  town,  should 
the  committee  deem  it  expedient,  and  to  make  use  of  the 
Surplus  Revenue  as  far  as  it  is  sufficient.  Meanwhile  the 
Treasurer  was  directed  to  invest  the  funds  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage.   The  committee  evidently  did  not  favor  the  poor- 

*  E.  G.  Bourne,  "History  of  the  Surplus  Revenue  of  1837." 


240  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

farm  project,  and  took  no  action.  In  the  following  year 
an  article  was  inserted  in  the  warrant  to  see  if  the  town 
would  appropriate  any  portion  of  the  Surplus  Revenue  to 
build  a  town  hall.  The  article  was,  however,  passed  over. 
In  the  same  year,  1843,  the  lower  story  of  the  meeting- 
house at  the  Centre  was  accepted  for  a  town  hall,  and  a 
committee  appointed  to  fit  it  up  for  the  purpose.  They 
were  authorized  to  draw  not  over  $500  from  the  Surplus 
Revenue  for  fittings  and  furnishings.  In  March,  1844,  the 
former  committee  having  proved  delinquent,  a  new  one  was 
appointed  and  directed  "to  purchase  and  stock  from  the 
Surplus  Revenue  if  sufficient,  and  for  the  want  thereof  to 
borrow  sufficient  to  add  thereto,  and  pay  for  the  farm.'* 
The  committee  moved  leisurely.  In  April,  1845,  further  in- 
roads on  the  fund  were  made  when  the  town  voted  to  pay 
for  building  the  bridge  near  the  woollen  factory  from  the 
Surplus  Revenue.  The  poor-farm  was  bought  of  Moses 
Gray,  Jr.,  in  1846  for  $2,500  and  was  stocked  according  to 
orders,  —  at  what  expense  is  not  stated.  The  remainder  of 
the  Surplus  Revenue  was  used,  and  in  1847  the  town  bor- 
rowed $2,000  to  complete  the  payment. 

Ware's  use  of  this  interesting  windfall  was  typical  of  the 
towns  of  the  State,  so  far  as  the  history  has  been  traced  out. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  "fourth  installment  "  was 
never  paid.  By  Jan.  1,  1839,  when  it  was  due,  the  country 
was  in  a  financial  panic,  and  there  was  no  surplus  in  the 
National  Treasury.  Meanwhile  the  power  to  recall  the 
money  had  been  withdrawn  from  the  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States  by  Congressional  action.  It  was  morally 
certain  that  Congress  would  never  vote  back  the  funds,  — 
and  it  never  has. 

Physicians 

The  first  doctor  to  settle  in  the  town  was  Edward  Daman,* 
who  came  from  Reading,  Connecticut.  He  first  settled  in 
Brookfield,  soon  after  removing  to  Ware.  The  record  of  the 
births  of  his  children  begins  here  in  1735.  In  1745  he  bought 
of  Paul  Thurston  a  farm  of  206  acres  between  Muddy  and 

>  This  is  the  spelling  on  his  gravestone. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        241 

Flat  Brooks,  bordering  on  Hardwick,  and  bounded  westerly 
by  the  Manour.  Dr.  Daman  is  frequently  mentioned  in  tlie 
Town  Records.  He  died  March  IG,  1800,  at  the  age  of  !)(>. 
In  1768  Dr.  Woods*  is  allowed  "for  Doctren  Uriah  Bush 
£l„16."  In  1772  Dr.  Billings's  rate  is  abated,  and  in  1779  his 
account  is  allowed  for  doctoring  Uriah  Gilbert.  In  1775  Dr. 
Gilbort  is  appointed  door-keeper  for  the  meeting-house, 
and  Dr.  Shubal  Winslow's  account  of  12s.  is  allowed. 

In  1785  Dr.  Ketridge  is  mentioned,  and  Dr.  Bolton.  Dr. 
Elias  Bolton  came  from  Mendon  about  1780.  After  him  was 
Dr.  Walker,  who  came  from  Windham,  Connecticut,  and  re- 
mained about  six  years.  Among  the  bills  against  the  estate 
of  Jonathan  Rogers,  who  died  in  1784,  is  one  from  Dr.  Estes 
How,  one  from  Dr.  William  Thomas  and  one  from  Dr. 
Stearnes.  Dr.  How  is  also  mentioned  in  the  Town  Records 
in  1786. 

Dr.  Rufus  King  came  from  Brookfield  in  1789,  and  lived 
here  half  a  century.  He  is  mentioned  several  times  as  re- 
ceiving fees  from  the  town  for  doctoring  the  poor.  In  1813 
Dr.  C.  Hutchings  receives  fees  for  the  same.  In  1818  men- 
tion is  made  of  Dr.  Daniel  Pierce,  and  of  Dr.  Horace  Good- 
rich in  1820.  Dr.  Goodrich  and  Dr.  Anson  Moody,  natives 
of  South  Hadley,  settled  here  about  that  time,  practising  in 
partnership.  Dr.  Moody  not  long  after  removed  to  Con- 
necticut. Dr.  Goodrich  remained  in  Ware  until  1853,  when 
he  also  removed  to  Connecticut.  In  1843  Dr.  E.  C.  Rich- 
ardson came  from  Watertown,  and  remained  here  to  the 
end  of  his  life.  Dr.  David  W.  Miner  came  in  1845,  and  prac- 
tised for  fifty  years.  Dr.  John  Yale  studied  with  Dr.  Good- 
rich, and  began  practising  in  Ware  in  1846.  He  was  a  son 
of  Rev.  Cyrus  Yale,  pastor  of  the  East  Church.  Dr.  Yale's 
death  removed  the  last  of  what  might  be  called  the  old  time 
physicians  of  the  town. 

Newspapers 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Ware  was  the  Village 
Gazette.    Hemenway  &  Fisk  began  its  publication  July  7, 

*  In  the  Probate  Records  is  found  a  bill  of  Dr.  Obad'' Wood  for  attending  Ben- 
jamin Bartlett  in  his  last  sickness,    Bartlett  died  in  1761. 


242  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

1847.  On  March  15,  1848,  Mr.  Fisk  sold  his  interest  to  Mr. 
Hemenway,  but  continued  as  editor  until  Jan.  1,  1849.  An 
examination  of  the  single  copy  of  the  paper  that  has  come 
under  the  writer's  eye  shows  it  to  have  been  an  unusual  sheet 
for  that  period,  when  newspapers  were  little  concerned  with 
news,  particularly  with  local  news.  The  motto  of  the  Vil- 
lage Gazette  was  this: 

"A  Record  of  the  busy  World, 
Its  Clouds  and  Sunshine,  Smiles  and  tears." 

It  was  published  by  W.  A.  Hemenway,  G.  M.  Fisk,  editors 
at  one  dollar  a  year.  A  notice  informs  the  public  that 
"letters  to  receive  attention  must  be  post  paid." 

A  portion  of  the  sheet  was  devoted  to  paragraphs,  liter- 
ary or  humorous,  and  there  was  also  a  considerable  amount 
of  local  and  general  news.  Politics  came  first  in  this  line, 
and  we  find  announced  "Good  news  for  the  Whigs."  This 
number  gives  the  votes  cast  in  town  for  Presidential  electors: 
Whig,  218.  Democrat,  124.  Free  Soil,  151.  There  is  the 
usual  proportion  of  patent  medicine  advertising,  and  several 
business  cards  of  neighboring  towns.  The  local  advertising 
might  serve  as  a  business  directory  for  1848. 

Demond  &  Ruggles,  Boots  &  Shoes,  hats  &  caps. 

L.  Draper,  Stoves. 

S.  Newbour  &  Brother  have  just  taken  the  Old  Company 
Store. 

S.  F.  Pepper,  Variety  Store.  Muffs  etc.  Wood.  Patent 
Medicines.  "Pepper's  burning  fluid,  or  chemical  oil,  75  cts. 
per  gallon."    Daguerreotypes  taken. 

D.  Converse  &  Co.    Groceries. 

Jas.  Tolman  &  Son.    Fur  robes,  clothing. 

W.  S.  Brakenridge,  Medicines,  Fire  Insurance. 

Hutchinson  &  Brooks,  Bank  St.  Boot  &  Shoe  Store  (under 
the  Baptist  Church). 

W.  DeWitt,  Hardware. 

A.  Randall,  Boots  &  Shoes. 

Theodore  Field,  Dye  House. 

A.  Clark,  Millinery  etc. 

L.  Hilton,  Oyster  Room. 

Simpson's  Tailoring  Establishment. 

W.  H.  Willard,  Tailoring. 

A.  R.  Jessup,  Dry  Goods. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN   SUBJECTS        243 

G.  C.  Jennison,  Boston  &  Ware  Express. 

L.  Hyland  has  taken  the  store  recently  occupied  by  J.  H. 
Peters,  Cor.  Church  &  Main  Streets. 

Lightning  —  The  Subscriber  has  recently  set  up  one 
of  those  recently  invented  batteries  for  the  purpose  of  Gold 
and  Silver  plating.    L.  Babcock. 

For  Sale  —  The  Carpet  in  Pew  No.  101,  Congregational 
Church,  2  hymn  books,  and  various  small  articles  including 
a  mouse  trap.    Addison  Sandford. 

The  Village  Gazette  became  the  Ware  Gazette  in  1849, 
and  in  1850  the  subscription  list  was  sold  to  J.  F.  Downing 
who  founded  the  Ware  American,  enlarged  the  paper  and 
published  it  until  the  following  autumn,  when  he  sold  the 
subscriptions  to  the  Springfield  Republican. 

There  lies  before  me  Vol.  1,  No.  1,  of  the  Ware  Offering 
and  Factory  Girls''  Garland,  Devoted  to  Polite  Literature, 
Science,  Morals,  and  the  Diffusion  oJlJJseful  Knowledge. 
It  was  published  in  January,  1848,  as  a  monthly,  by  S.  F. 
Pepper  at  373^  cents  a  year.  It  contains  four  pages,  twelve 
by  sixteen  inches.  It  is  an  "  improving  "  sheet  wholly  without 
news.  The  leading  article  is  a  lurid  story  entitled  "  The  Stained 
Hand,  or  the  Criminal  His  Own  Accuser."  There  are  several 
poems  and  short  articles  on  "Dreams,"  "Popping  the 
Question,"  "Cleanliness,"  "The  Cause  of  Meteors,"  etc. 
The  editor  is  the  only  advertiser,  and  it  is  announced  that 
"all  subscribers  may  consider  themselves  contributors." 
This  interesting  periodical  only  reached  three  or  four  num- 
bers. 

The  Ware  Weekly  Courier  was  commenced  Jan.  1, 1848,  by 
C.  H.  &  W.  F.  Brown.  It  was  a  reprint  of  the  Worcester 
Aegis,  having  a  Ware  heading  and  local  column.  It  lived 
but  a  few  weeks. 

The  Ware  Standard  was  established  here  by  Gordon  Fisk 
but  soon  after,  the  Western  Railroad  (later  called  the 
Boston  &  Albany)  being  put  through  Palmer,  Mr.  Fisk  re- 
moved his  headquarters  to  that  town  and  founded  the 
Palmer  Journal.  He  continued  the  issue  of  the  Ware 
Standard  as  a  reprint  until  1897.  In  like  manner  the  Ware 
Gazette,  an  offshoot  of  the  Barre  Gazette,  was  circulated  in 
town  for  some  years. 


244  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

On  Oct.  26,  1887,  was  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Ware 
River  Neics,  an  entirely  new  publication  under  the  man- 
agement of  R.  E.  Capron.  This  weekly  is  still  under  the 
same  management,  and  is  the  only  newspaper  published  in 
town. 

Railroads 

The  citizens  of  the  town  early  realized  the  advantages 
that  would  accrue  from  a  railroad  connecting  Ware  with 
other  places.  Before  the  building  of  the  Boston  &  Albany 
Railroad  the  town  petitioned  the  Legislature  to  carry 
such  a  road  through  Ware.  Though  the  general  project  was 
accomplished,  our  town  was  left  at  one  side.  In  1847  we 
find  a  petition  of  Joseph  Hartwell  and  others  for  authority 
to  incorporate  and  power  to  construct  a  railroad  through 
Hardwick,  Barre,  Hubbardston  and  Gardner,  to  connect 
with  the  Vermont  and  Massachusetts  Railroad  at  or  near 
South  Gardner. 

In  1851  a  company  was  incorporated  to  build  a  road  that 
should  follow  the  course  of  the  Ware  River,  to  be  known  as 
the  Ware  River  Railroad.  On  April  26,  1869,  the  town  au- 
thorized and  directed  the  selectmen  to  subscribe  for  stock  in 
this  corporation  to  the  amount  of  five  per  cent,  of  its  valua- 
tion, said  subscription  not  to  exceed  $70,000.  Stock  to  the 
value  of  $50,000  was  actually  taken  by  the  town,  and  in 
1870  the  road  was  constructed  from  Palmer  to  Gilbertville. 
The  original  company  becoming  embarrassed,  a  new  corpora- 
tion was  formed  in  1873,  retaining  the  old  name.  Soon  after 
the  road  was  leased  for  ninety-nine  years  by  the  Boston  & 
Albany  Railroad,  and  became  a  branch  of  the  latter  line. 

The  Southern  Division  of  the  Boston  &  Maine  Railroad, 
known  as  the  Massachusetts  Central,  was  opened  for  trafl5c 
in  1887.  Under  date  of  June  27  of  that  year  we  find  the 
following  notice: 

First  Passenger  Trains  on  the  Central.  A  train  con- 
sisting of  engine  and  three  handsome  passenger  coaches 
arrived  at  Ware  Sunday  afternoon  on  the  new  Central 
Massachusetts  railroad.  The  day  being  fine,  1,000  citizens 
went  from  the  village  to  see  the  new  cars.  .  .      Yesterday 


vi  %jA'V^ 


TEE  HAMPSHIRE  MANUFACTURERS' 
BANK 

Built  in  1825y  and  changed  to  the  Ware 
National  Bank  in  186^.  The  Savings  Bank 
occupied  the  upper  story  of  the  building  from 
1850  to  1881.  This  building  was  replaced  by 
the  present  National  Bank  Building. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        «4.5 

morning  the  first  passenger  train  started  at  7:25.  Among 
the  passengers  were  noticed  Charles  D.  Gilbert,  George 
Gould,  Perry  Cheevers,  Harry  Prendeville,  John  Connor, 
F.  N.  Hosmer  and  Joseph  Harding.  A  large  number  of 
excursionists  from  Boston  came  by  the  10  a.  m.  train  and 
dined  at  the  Hampshire  House." 


Banks 

On  Feb.  26,  1825,  the  Hampshire  Manufacturers'  Bank 
was  incorporated  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  The  first 
president  was  EInathan  Jones  of  Enfield,  who  filled  the 
ofiBce  until  1827,  and  was  followed  by  Joseph  Bowman  of 
New  Braintree,  who  continued  until  1848.  Orrin  Sage  fol- 
lowed Mr.  Bowman,  from  1848  to  1865.  William  Hyde 
filled  the  office  from  1865  to  1888,  and  William  S.  Hyde 
from  1888  to  1899.  The  present  president  is  Henry  K. 
Hyde.  In  1836,  1848  and  1853  $50,000  was  added  each 
year  to  the  capital,  and  in  1857  $100,000.  In  1864,  with  the 
passing  of  the  State  banks,  the  Manufacturers'  Bank  was 
changed  into  a  national  corporation  under  the  name  of  the 
Ware  National  Bank.  The  capital  was  further  increased  to 
$400,000  in  1869,  but  was  reduced  ten  years  later  to  $300, 
000.  The  present  building  was  erected  in  1893,  replacing 
the  less  convenient  but  more  attractive  looking  building  that 
faced  Main  Street  so  many  years. 

The  Ware  Savings  Bank  was  incorporated  in  1850.  Joel 
Rice  was  treasurer  until  1857,  and  was  followed  by  Otis 
Lane,  who  held  the  position  until  1885,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  present  treasurer,  Frederick  D.  Gilmore. 
The  steady  increase  of  business  demanding  more  ample 
quarters,  the  Bank  Building  was  doubled  in  size  and  greatly 
improved  in  appearance  in  1903.  A  modern,  up-to-date 
vault  was  constructed  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  year. 
The  number  of  depositors  at  the  beginning  of  1911  is  10,505, 
and  deposits  amount  to  $5,800,000.  The  assets  of  the  in- 
stitution are  $6,200,000.  The  presidents  of  the  Savings 
Bank  from  its  incorporation  have  been  William  Hyde, 
Charles  A.  Stevens,  and  Lewis  N.  Gilbert. 


246 


HISTORY  OF  WARE 


Assessors  Lists 

The  Sum  total  of  this  Bill  is  £17-4-7 
Ware  February  the  16*'^  1787 


Daniel  Gould 

)  Assessors 

Jacob  Pepper 

William  Anderson 

1 

u 

for 
'are 

1 
Mens  Names 

Polles 

Real  Estate 

Personal  Estate 

Anderson  W™ 

8     d 

1  8 

s 
1 

d    q 

5  2 

s      d    q 
0     7  2 

Adams  John 

1  8 

2 

6  0 

0     9  2 

Andrews  Lemuel 

1  8 

2 

8  2 

0     5  0 

Adams  Ephe™ 
Brakenridge  Cap* 
Brakenridge  W"' 
Brakenridge  James 
Brakenridge  George 
Brakenridge  Francis 
Brown  Lieut 

1  8 
1  8 
1  8 
1  8 
1  8 
1  8 

0 
7 
4 
3 
3 
2 
3 

2  2 
11  0 
2  0 
9  0 
4  0 
6  0 
10  2 

18  0 
1     1  1 
0  10  0 
0  10  2 

0  7  2 

1  0  1 

Brown  Moses 

3  4 

3 

5  2 

12  2 

Brown  Samuel 

3  4 

4 

2  0 

18  0 

Bush  Widow 

1  8 

1 

4  2 

0     2  2 

Buker  Calven 

1  8 

1 

3  0 

0     3  0 

Cummings  Lieut 
Cummings  Benj^ 
Cummins  Simeon 

3  4 
1  8 
3  4 

5 
1 
1 

10  0 

5  2 

10  2 

18  0 

0  5  2 

1  1  1 

Cummins  Joseph 
Coney  Cap* 
Cross  John 

1  8 
1  8 

1 
1 

5  2 
1  0 

0  11  2 
0     5  2 

Chandler  Joseph 
Chandler  Joseph  Jr 
Clapp  Elijah 
Dunsmore  Sam®' 

1  8 
1  8 

3  4 

0 

0 
6 

7  2 

2  0 

0  2 

0     4  0 
2     0  0 

Daman  Stephen 
Downing  John 
Davis  Abijah 
Ellis  Seth 

1  8 

1  8 

1  8 

2 
3 
0 
0 

8  2 
8  0 
6  0 

8  2 

0  6  3 

1  3  0 
0     2  0 
0     3  0 

Eddy  John 
Eaton  Samuel 

0 
0 

8  2 
2  0 

Foster  Jonathan 

3  4 

2 

7  0 

10  2 

Gilmur  John 

1  8 

1 

9  0 

0     6  0 

Gilmore  James 

1  8 

1 

10  2 

0  10  0 

Gould  David 

1  8 

3 

4  0 

0  11  0 

Hixson  Elkanah 

1  8 

1 

9  0 

0     7  0 

MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        247 


Jenkens  Deacon 

1 

8 

1 

8  0 

0 

8  0 

Jenkens  John 

1 

8 

3 

0  0 

0 

C  2 

Leonard  Dan 

1 

8 

0 

6  0 

0 

1  0 

Lazell  Jacob 

1 

8 

0 

5  0 

0 

2  2 

Lamberton  James 

1 

8 

3 

4  0 

0 

9  1 

Lammon  James  Jr 

1 

8 

2 

3  1 

0 

8  2 

Lamberton  Seth 

3 

0  0 

0 

8  0 

Marsh  Judah 

1 

8 

Marsh  Thomas 

1 

8 

4 

7  0 

1 

3  0 

Marsh  Jonathan 

1 

8 

3 

10  2 

1 

0  0 

Marsh  Judah  Jr 

1 

8 

5 

6  2 

1 

1  0 

Marsh  Joel 

1 

8 

1 

1  2 

0 

8  0 

Magoon  Isaac 

1 

8 

3 

0  0 

0 

8  0 

Magoon  Isaac  2^^ 

1 

8 

0 

3  0 

Magoon  Elex' 

3  4 

9 

8  2 

2 

1  2 

Magoon  John 

1 

8 

McCHntock  Joseph 

1 

10  2 

McCoy  Neal 

1 

8 

0 

10  0 

0 

3  2 

McClintock  David 

1 

8 

2 

11  0 

0 

6  2 

Morse  Phille 

3  4 

5 

2  2 

1 

5  2 

Miller  Benj* 

0 

3  0 

Nye  Samuel 

1 

5  2 

0 

4  0 

Nye  Ebenezer 

1 

8 

1 

5  2 

0 

6  0 

Paddock  Epheriam 

1 

8 

Paddock  Bradford 

1 

8 

2 

0  0 

0 

5  2 

Pepper  Ezra 

1 

8 

0 

10  0 

0 

2  2 

Persons  Joshua 

2 

1  0 

0 

2  2 

Raimonds  John 

1 

3  0 

0 

1  2 

Roberson  William 

2 

1  0 

0 

8  0 

Smith  Deacon 

3 

4 

3 

6  2 

1 

1  0 

Roberson  Joseph 

2 

11  0 

0 

3  0 

Smith  Merverick 

1 

8 

1 

9  2 

0 

5  2 

Sherman  Reuben 

3 

4 

2 

1  0 

0 

9  0 

Simonds  Judah 

8 

0 

7  2 

0 

5  0 

Shaw  Andrew 

8 

Osborn  John 

8 

1 

2  0 

0 

2  2 

Wood  Zephaniah 

4 

4 

2  0 

0 

9  2 

Soul  Constant 

8 

1 

8  0 

.    0 

9  2 

Snell  William 

8 

3 

11  2 

0 

10  0 

Stone  Oliver 

8 

1 

5  2 

0 

2  2 

Thomas  Nehemiah 

8 

2 

1  0 

0 

10  0 

Thayer  Jedidiah 

8 

1 

6  0 

0 

2  3 

Winslow  Thomas 

8 

0 

1  3 

Wait  David 

0 

7  0 

248 


HISTORY  OF  WARE 


The  sum  total  of  this  Bill  is  £61-15 
Ware  September  25,  1787 


Daniel  Gould 

1  Assessors 

Jacob  Pepper 

for 

W" 

Breakenridge  Jr 

)  Ware 

Mens  Names 

Polles 

Real  Estate 

Personal  Estate 

£     s    d 

£      8 

d  q 

s 

d   q 

Andrews  Stephen 

6  10 

7 

1   0 

0 

6  0 

Andrews  Tho^ 

10     6 

8 

9  0 

1 

6  3 

Andrews  John 

6  10 

8 

9  0 

1 

4  0 

Andrews  Timothy 

6  10 

2 

6  0 

Bonney  Charles 

6  10 

7 

3  2 

Bullen  Capt. 

7 

1  0 

0 

6  0 

Bellows  Silas 

10     6 

8 

4  0 

2 

1  0 

Bellows  Joseph 

13     8 

6 

3  0 

1 

7  3 

Bowdion  W°^ 

6  10 

7 

3  2 

1 

11  1 

Cleland  Sam«» 

13     8 

9 

7  0 

2 

0  0 

Capon  James 

7 

11  0 

1 

4  0 

Conve(r)s  Phineas 

6  10 

0 

11  0 

Cleland  Thomas 

6  10 

0 

10  0 

Gray  Joseph 

13     8 

1     2 

11  0 

5 

8  3 

Gould  Eben' 

6  10 

6 

10  2 

1 

4  0 

Harwood  Andrew 

6  10 

18 

9  0 

2 

4  3 

Hide  Othniel 

13     8 

6 

0  2 

2 

5  0 

Joslyn  Abraham 

6  10 

7 

6  0 

3 

2  0 

Kee  Steward 

6  10 

5 

5  0 

2 

1  0 

Lamon  James 

13     8 

14 

7  0 

4 

2  0 

Legate  Esqu' 

16 

0  0 

Lamon  David 

6  10 

7 

3  2 

1 

3  0 

Lamon  W'" 

6  10 

Linsley  Norrin 

6  10 

1 

3  0 

0 

5  0 

Merritt  Benj"* 

6  10 

14 

7  0 

3 

1  2 

Merritt  Ichabod 

6  10 

1 

0  2 

Morton  Thomas 

6  10 

10 

5  0 

3 

3  2 

Morton  Widow 

2 

6  0 

0 

2  2 

McClintock  Tho" 

6  10 

2 

6  0 

0 

7  2 

Miller  W"* 

2 

6  0 

Nevens  James 

6 

10  2 

1 

3  0 

Overen  John  Henry 

2 

1  0 

Paige  William 

10    3 

1     9 

9  2 

6 

3  0 

Paterson  Joseph 

13     8 

7 

6  0 

1 

10  2 

Pepper  Isaac 

6  10 

17 

8  2 

1 

8  0 

Pepper  Jacob 

6  10 

17 

1  0 

3 

2  3 

Partrick  William 

13     8 

16 

10  2 

5 

5  0 

Partrick  Thomas 

6  10 

12 

6  0 

3 

7  1 

Partrick  Sam®* 

6  10 

11 

5  2 

2 

11  0 

MISCELLANEOUS   TOWN  SUBJECTS        249 


Partrick  Johnson 

6 

10 

8 

4  0 

2 

8  2 

Parker  John 

13 

8 

7 

11  0 

1 

0  2 

Pond  Sewa 

6 

10 

6 

3  0 

2 

1  0 

Quinton  John 

1  0 

6 

2     6 

3  0 

12 

C  0 

Rogers  Richard 

7 

1  0 

1 

i)  2 

Rogers  Daniel 

6 

10 

7 

1  0 

1 

2  0 

Smith  Lemuel 

10 

3 

3 

6  2 

0 

10  0 

Simond  Jotham 

6 

10 

1 

3  0 

0 

5  0 

Shaw  Widow 

6 

10 

1     2 

11  0 

7 

C  0 

Shaw  Erwin 

6 

10 

17 

3  2 

5 

1  3 

Shaw  John 

2 

6  0 

Stone  Amos 

6 

10 

12 

6  0 

2 

1  0 

Simpson  Charles 

6 

10 

1 

0  2 

0 

5  0 

Swift  Whitfield 

6 

10 

7 

3  2 

1 

0  2 

Swift  Lem^' 

6 

10 

0 

10  0 

Thayer  Abra"" 

6 

10 

17 

1  0 

5 

10  0 

Thayer  Eben' 

6 

10 

Thompson  Benj^ 

1  0 

6 

1     8 

6  2 

7 

G  0 

Tisdale  John 

13 

8 

5 

2  2 

3 

9  0 

Whitney  John 

6 

10 

6 

3  0 

2 

1  0 

Wheelor  John 

6 

10 

White  Jabez 

6 

10 

13 

9  0 

1 

0  2 

Read  W°^  Exeut' 

5 

0  0 

Newton  Oliver 

6 

10 

0 

10  0 

Marsh  Silas 

6 

10 

1 

8  0 

Thompson  Noah 

3 

6  2 

0 

4  2 

Gould  Daniel 

10 

3 

1 

4  2 

6 

5  2 

Committee  of  the  Precinct 

1743  —  Jacob  Cummings,  Edward  Ayres,  Joseph  Simonds. 

1744  —  Jabez  Omstead,  Jacob  Cummings,  Edward  Ayres. 

1745  —  Thomas  Marsh,  Jacob  Cummings,  William  Black- 

mer. 

1746  —  Jacob  Cummings,  Samuel  Huggins,  William  Black- 

mer. 

1747  —  Jacob  Cummings,  William  Blackmer,  Samuel  Hug- 

gins. 

1748  —  Jacob  Cummings,  Judah  Marsh,  Moses  Allen. 

1749  —  John  Davis,  Jacob  Cummings,  Joseph  Simonds. 

1750  —  Jacob   Cummings,  Timothy  Brown,  John  Davis, 

Joseph  Scott,  Edward  Daman. 

1751  —  John  Davis,  Jacob   Cummings,  Timothy  Brown, 

Joseph  Scott,  Joseph  Wright. 

1752  —  Jacob  Cummings,  Benjamin  Lull,  Samuel  Davis, 

Judah  Marsh,  John  Davis. 


250  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

1753  —  William    Blackmer,    William    Breakenridge,    John 

Downing. 

1754  —  Jacob  Cummings,  Edward  Daman,  Israel  Omstead. 

1755  —  Jacob  Cummings,  Samuel  Sharmon,  William  Break- 

enridge, Joseph  Scott,  Jonathan  Rogers. 

1756  —  Jacob  Cummings,   William  Breakenridge,   Samuel 

Sharmon. 

1757  —  William  Breakenridge,  Samuel  Sharmon,  Jonathan 

Rogers. 

1758  —  William  Breakenridge,  Samuel  Sharmon,  Jonathan 

Rogers. 

1759  —  William  Breakenridge,  Edward  Ayres,  Joseph  Foster. 

1760  —  Jacob  Cummings,  John  Davis,  John  Downing. 

1761  —  Jacob   Cummings,  William  Breakenridge,   Samuel 

Sharmon. 

Selectmen  for  First  Year  after  Incorporation 
OF  Town. 

1762  —  Samuel    Sharmon,    William    Breakenridge,    John 

Davis,  Jacob  Cummings,  Judah  Marsh. 

Precinct  and  Town  Clerks 

1742  —  John  Post  1830  —  William  Bowdoin 

1744  —  Jacob  Cummings  1831  —  Leonard  Gould 

1748  —  John  Davis  1832  —  George  W.  Porter 

1750  —  Timothy  Brown  1837  —  Jason  Gorham 

1751  —  Jacob  Cummings  1839  — Lewis  Demond 
1757  —  William  Brakenridge  1850  —  Francis  De  Witt 
1760  —  Maverick  Smith  1853  —  William  H.  Willard 
1762  —  William  Brakenridge  1855  —  E.  L.  Brainerd 
1777  —  Abraham  Cummings  1856  —  R.  L.  Hathaway 
1780  —  David  Brown  1858  —  Stephen  B.  Witherell 
1782  —  Thomas  Tuffs  1861  —  Francis  De  Witt 

1786  —  David  Brown  1863  —  S.  B.  Witherell 

1787  —  William  Paige  1866  —  George  K.  Cutler 
1789  —  William  Bowdoin  1868  —  Lewis  P.  Edwards 
1811  —  Leonard  Gould  1872  —  Hubert  M.  Coney 

1825  —  Joel  Rice  1876  —  Aimer  F.  Richardson 

1826  —  Leonard  Gould  1907  (41  days) 

1828  —  Joel  Rice  Henry  K.  Hyde 

1829  —  William  Snow  1908  —  Edward  P.  Morse 


MISCELLANEOUS   TOWN  SUBJECTS        251 


Representatives  from  Ware  * 

To  Provincial  Congress  in  1775 
William  Brakenridge        Joseph  Foster        Thomas  Jenkins 


Under  the  Constitution 


1787 
1788, 

1798, 

1813- 

1815 
1816 

1824' 

1826 

1827 

1829 
1830 
1831 

1832 

1833 
1834 
1835 
1836 

1837 
1838 


—  Daniel  Gould 
1795  — 

Isaac  Pepper 
1801-04,  1806-12  — 
William  Bowdoin 
-14  — 

Enos  Davis 

—  William  Paige,  Jr. 
-17,  1822  — 

Joseph  Cummings 
-25  — 

Aaron  Gould 

—  Wm.  Paige,  Jr. 
Alpheus  Demond 

-29  — 

Aaron  Gould 

—  Samuel  Phelps 

—  Joel  Rice 

—  Aaron  Gould 
Joel  Rice 

—  Allender  Braken- 
ridge 

Homer  Bartlett 

—  Alpheus  Demond 
Enos  Davis 

—  Calvin  Morse 
Benjamin  Wilder 

—  Thomas  Wilder 
John  Osborn,  Jr. 

—  Thomas  Wilder 
Reuben  Lazell 

—  Edmund  Freeman 
Reuben  Lazell 

—  Thomas  Snell 
Royal  Bosworth 


1839  —  Thomas  Snell 

Jason  Gorham 

1840  —  John  Bowdoin 

Nelson  Palmer 

1841  —  Joel  Rice 

1842  —  Ebenezer  Gould 

1843  —  Horace  Goodrich 

1844  —  Jonathan  Harwood 

1845  —  Ansel  Phelps,  Jr. 

1846  —  Samuel  M.  Lemmon 

1847  —  Avery  Clark 

1851  —  Ira  P.  Gould 

1852  —  Harrison  French 

1853  —  Charles  A.  Stevens 

1854  —  William  E.  Bassett 

1855  —  Freeman  W.  Dick- 

inson 

1856  --  Samuel  H.  Phelps 

1857  —  George  H.  Gilbert 

1858  —  Benjamin  Davis,  Jr. 

1860  —  Lewis  Demond 

1861  —  Samuel  Morse 

1863  —  Joseph  Hartwell 

1864  —  Luther  Chapin,  Jr. 
1866  —  William  E.  Lewis 
1868  —  Henry  Bassett 
1870  —  Benjamin  F.  Angell 
1872  —  John  W.  Robinson 
1874  —  Henry  C.  Davis 
1876  —  Addison  Sandford 
1879  —  Frederick  N.  Hosmer 
1882  —  Charles  E.  Stevens 
1884  —  William  C.  Eaton 
1886  —  Levi  W.  Robinson 
1891  —  William  S.  Hyde 


*  In  the  years  not  named  the  town  was  not  represented. 


252  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

1892  —  Frederick  A.  Volk       1900-01  — 

1894  —  Frank  M.  Sibley  Arthur  E.  Newcomb 

1895  —  George  D.  Storrs         1906-07  —  John  H.  Schoon- 
1897  —  William  N.  Newcomb  maker 


Rawson's  Petition 

Hampshire  Co. 

To  the  Honble  His  Majesties  Justices  of  the  Court  of 
General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  now  holden  at  Springfield 
within  &  for  the  County  of  Hampshire  this  25th  Day  of 
Aug*  Anno  Dom.  1752 

Grindall  Rawson  of  the  Plantation  called  the  Mannor  of 
Peace  sometimes  &  sometimes  called  Ware  River  Parish  in 
said  County  Clerk  &  Minister  of  God's  Word  to  the  Inhab- 
itants of  said  Parish 

Humbly  sheweth 
That  on  the  Ninth  Day  of  May  1751,  at  said  Manor  he  was 
regularly  inducted  into  the  Work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry 
ordained  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  Christ  there  &  that  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  said  Parish  previous  to  his  said  Settle- 
ment there  and  as  an  Encouragement  thereto  agreed  & 
contracted  with  Him  to  give  Him  the  Sum  of  one  hundred 
pound  Lawful  Money  For  a  Settlement  to  be  paid  in  Ma- 
terials for  Building  &  in  Labour  at  Money  Price  and  also 
to  give  Him  the  sum  of  Forty  Five  Pounds  Lawful  Money 
yearly  for  the  Salary  for  the  Two  first  years  of  his  Continu- 
ance in  the  Ministry  there  &  then  to  add  thereto  the  Sum 
of  Four  pound  yearly  till  the  Whole  amount  to  Sixty  Pounds 
annually  and  the  sd  Grindall  saith  that  the  Inhabitants  of 
said  Parish  disregarding  the  said  Contract  &  obligation 
have  never  paid  the  sd  Complain*  The  Sums  agreed  for  his 
Settlement  in  Materials  for  Building  or  in  Labour  tho  he 
has  been  always  ready  &  desirous  to  receive  the  Same  nor 
have  they  satisfied  the  same  any  other  way  Neither  have 
they  granted  &  asessed  the  Sum  due  to  said  Complain*  for 
his  First  years  Salary  or  if  they  have  they  have  never  al- 
lotted and  paid  the  same  to  sd  Complain*  as  they  ought  to 
have  done  but  altogether  refuse  &  deny  to  do  it  whereby 
yr  Complain*  is  reduc^  to  great  Straights  &  Difficulties  and 
is  rendered  unable  to  support  Himself  in  the  Important 
Business  he  has  undertaken  or  to  Support  the  Character  of 


WARE  CENTRE 

hi  the  Flat  Brook  Valley  was  the  heart  of 
the  town  in  its  early  days.  Stores,  taverns  and 
schools  were  grouped  about  the  mceti7ig-kouse, 
behind  xvhich  toas  the  burial  place,  and  in 
front  the  training  field. 


MISCELLANEOUS   TOWN   SUBJECTS        253 

a  Gospel  Minister.  He  therefore  Humbly  prays  ye  Hon^' 
Cognizance  of  the  Premises  and  seeks  Relief  therein  as  to 
Law  &  Justice  appertains  and  as  in  Duty  bound  shall  ever 
pray  Grindall  llawson 


A  REMINISCENCE 
By  C.  a.  G. 

Read  at  the  Golden  Wedding  of  Deacon  Milton  Lewis,  of  Ware, 

April  6,  1881 

Halt!  halt!  old  Father  Time! 

Don't  you  hear  this  golden  chime? 

Stay  here,  and  tell  us  if  you  know 

What  the  world  was  doing  so  long  ago. 
Full  fifty  years  you  have  swung  your  scythe, 
Since  this  good  couple,  then  young  and  blithe. 
Were  knotted  together  in  a  band  so  strong. 
That  their  Golden  Wedding  demands  my  song. 

Nay!  ask  not  of  me  for  an  instant's  pause; 

I  never  was  known  as  a  breaker  of  laws. 

I  must  onward  move  as  surely  as  fate, 

"Time  and  the  tide  for  no  man  maj'  wait," 

But  memory  here  with  the  open  scroll. 

The  long  panorama  may  unroll, 

And  show  to  your  glances,  as  backward  cast, 

The  persons  and  scenes  that  have  long  since  passed. 

The  first  to  appear  as  the  roll  glides  by 

Is  the  parson  young,  who  the  knot  did  tie; 

With  a  clear  blue  eye  and  a  shaven  face, 

A  winning  smile  and  a  stately  grace, 

He  gives  kindly  words  to  each  child  he  meets. 

And  with  courtesy  true  every  friend  he  greets. 

His  fair,  blooming  bride,  with  her  cheeks  of  rose, 

And  light  nimble  footsteps  wherever  she  goes, 

Intensely  in  earnest,  with  a  positive  air, 

Is  a  partner  well  worthy  his  kingdom  to  share; 

But  would  n't  it  now-a-days  bring  up  a  smile, 

Should  they  walk,  locked  arms,  through  the  great  broad  aisle? 

Now,  just  at  this  point,  my  retrospect  muse 
Will  give  you  a  glimpse  of  those  old-time  pews, 
W'ith  seats  that  turned  up,  and  oh!  what  a  clang. 
As  after  the  prayers  they  came  down  with  a  bang. 
On  all  sides  they  were,  and  as  some  folks  would  say. 
The  great  congregation  looked  "every  which  way." 
Here  sits  uncle  Richard,  hair  dressed  in  a  queue. 
And  Abner  and  family  in  the  same  pew; 
Not  yet  have  the  elders  on  him  laid  their  hands. 
To  set  him  apart  for  the  deacon's  demands. 


254  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

For  farther  along,  next  pew  in  the  row. 

Is  the  small  wrinkled  visage  of  good  Dea.  Snow. 

Long  time  he  "kept  store,"  and  sold  blackstrap  as  well. 

Which  nobody  then  thought  it  wicked  to  sell. 

But  w^hen  better  informed  on  the  evils  of  drink. 

Pastor  and  deacons  from  the  test  did  n't  shrink; 

They  formed  a  Society,  maintained  the  pledge, 

Yet  it  split  the  community  just  like  a  wedge. 

Dea.  Snow  sold  his  store  and  lived  by  his  farm. 

No  longer  would  he  bring  his  neighbors  to  harm. 

For  years  upon  years,  at  the  Wednesday  night  call. 

He  takes  coals  from  his  fire  to  build  that  in  the  hall. 

In  that  hall,  who  that  saw  it  can  ever  forget 

Leonard  Gould's  little  foot  —  is  his  crutch  sounding  yet.' 

For  the  good  of  the  public  he  worked  with  his  might. 

So  the  foot  was  no  matter  when  the  head  was  all  right. 

Just  over  the  broad  aisle  from  Dea.  Snow's  pew. 

Can  you  see  it,  half  covered  with  kerchief  of  blue.? 

Behind  him,  Capt.  B.,  his  good  cousin  and  friend, 

A  pattern  of  faithfulness  unto  the  end. 

O'er  his  conjugal  pathway,  the  shadows,  how  deep; 

But  the  vow  that  he  's  made  he  will  loyally  keep. 

No  Douglas  more  tender,  no  Bayard  more  true, 

For  the  thirty  long  years  it  was  given  him  to  do. 

Here  's  the  post,  where  Esq,  Bowdoin  must  tack  up  the  names. 

Which  the  people's  intentions  of  marriage  proclaims. 

But  once  in  awhile,  after  service  he  stands. 

Then  in  clear  ringing  accents  calls  out  the  banns. 

There  w^ere  some  who  considered  the  north  pews  a  treat. 

For  the  view  which  they  had  of  the  long  singers'  seat. 

We  have  Andersons  now,  they  had  Andersons  then; 

They  have  always  been  known  here  as  musical  men. 

There  was  Will,  with  flute,  and  S.  F.'s  clarionet, 

Uncle  Amasa's  clarion  the  bass  to  complete, 

Oriva's  strong  treble,  so  birdlike  and  clear. 

While  her  mother  sang  counter  for  many  a  year. 

The  Snells  were  all  singers,  so  far  as  I  know; 

And  enough  of  them,  too,  to  make  out  a  good  row. 

Were  just  at  this  time  in  the  choir  to  be  found. 

For  help  in  the  worship  as  Sundays  came  round. 

And  here  were  the  children  of  old  Dr.  King, 

Whose  voices  alone  could  make  the  house  ring; 

Bowdoin,  Eunice  and  Sarah,  Dea.  Davis's  Ann, 

Loring  Brigham,  the  tenor,  long  a  prominent  man 

In  the  choir  leadership;  a  few  years  farther  on 

Some  one  else  will  be  leading,  for  he  will  be  gone. 

Sweet-voiced  Gardner  is  still  the  first  chorister  here, 

But  soon  in  his  place  Dr.  Gary  '11  appear 

Bringing  in  a  new  stjde,  operatic  and  grand. 

Does  some  one  remember  G.  Lucas's  hand. 

With  its  fingers  spread  wide  as  he  passed  round  the  tone? 

There  's  no  more  fa,  sol,  las;  those  old  ways  are  flown. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TOWN  SUBJECTS        255 

A  glimpse  at  the  business  brings  an  end  to  these  lays. 

For  Ware  Town  had  business  in  these  far  away  days. 

The  Keene  O!  ^  rushes  in  on  eaeh  alternate  morn. 

From  the  Gardner  hill-top  resounds  the  post-horn; 

It  stops  at  the  tavern  ten  minutes  or  so. 

To  take  up  any  passengers  wishing  to  go, 

Give  drink  to  the  horses,  to  help  them  pull  through, 

And  mayhap  the  driver  '11  "wet  his  whistle,"  too. 

S.  Gould  keeps  the  house  in  an  orderly  way; 

'T  is  a  favorite  place  for  the  teamsters  to  stay. 

Good  beds  and  good  fare,  and  good  landlady's  found  — 

They  have  the  best  gingerbread  sold  anywhere  'round. 

Is  this  the  May  training  that  is  passing  along? 

The  flood-wood  militia  are  coming  out  strong; 

Blue  coats  and  white  pants,  red  tipt  white  cockade, 

Capt.  Snell  is  commander  of  this  day's  parade. 

It  is  only  big  boys  to  training  may  come. 

So  papas  buy  a  treat  for  the  children  at  home. 

Aaron  Gould,  the  rich  farmer,  has  mention  in  brief. 
Though  a  bachelor  long,  he  's  town  father  in  chief. 
And  when  winter  comes  round,  bringing  sleigh-rides  and  sport. 
He  will  spend  it  away  at  the  great  "Gineral  Court." 

In  variety  stores,  on  either  side  of  the  way. 

Here  's  Crowell  and  Stowell  selling  dry  goods  each  day; 

Tea,  sugar  and  spice,  besides  lace  for  a  ruff; 

Crockery  and  slippers  and  fish-hooks  and  snuff, 

I.  Stearns  has  a  shingle  mill  by  the  King  brook; 

D.  J.  Converse  makes  rifles  ^  in  this  little  nook. 

At  the  fork  of  the  roads  stands  the  old  blacksmith's  shop, 

Lee  Sprague  here  shoes  horses  till  ready  to  drop. 

Down  in  the  fields  Osborn's  tan-shop  is  seen. 

But  it  takes  Peter  Wheeler  to  "run  the  machine." 

Up  the  stream  are  the  auger  shops,  busy  with  work, 

T.  Snell  and  his  sons  are  not  men  to  shirk; 

The  trip-hammer  music  booms  out  on  the  air; 

Now  all  is  deserted  and  silent  and  bare. 

A.  B.  Adams,  fine  boot-maker,  works  at  his  trade. 

For  nobody  is  dreaming  of  things  ready-made; 

His  work  will  be  desirable,  well-fitting  and  neat. 

But  he  won't  look  out  for  the  corns  on  the  feet. 

To  Leonard  Gould's  house  the  apprentices  come 

To  practice  in  shoe-making,  finding  a  safe  home; 

They  are  taught  in  the  trade,  learn  goodness  as  well; 

A  word  on  this  point  T.  S.  Norton  could  tell. 

Jesse  Bee  Wetherbee;   "salt  of  the  earth  " 

Is  none  too  expressive  of  his  christian  worth. 

A  queerer  outside  is  not  often  seen,  to  be  sure; 

Though  the  setting  be  rough,  the  jewel  is  pure; 

*  Referring  to  stage-line  from  Ware  to  Keene,  New  Hampshire. 

*  For  sharpenmg  scythes. 


256  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

By  trade  he  's  a  joiner,  and  when  spirits  take  flight, 
For  the  body's  encasement  he  works  day  and  night. 
It  is  simple  stained  pine,  but  it  answers  as  well 
As  the  costly  trimmed  casket  in  these  days  they  sell. 
A.  Anderson  &  Sons  shall  make  one  more  view 
Of  the  industries  various  the  people  pursue. 
Wheel-wrights  and  masons,  and  sextons  as  well. 
For  dinner  and  curfew  they  ring  out  the  bell. 
And  when  one  in  silence  the  last  journey  goes. 
To  "God's  Acre  "  they  bring  him  for  quiet  repose. 

Now  roll  up  the  canvass  —  put  out  the  light. 

My  review  is  all  over  —  to  the  past  bid  goodnight. 


Miscellaneous 

Current  prices  of  various  commodities,  taken  from  old 
accounts  kept  by  William  Anderson  with  his  neighbors  are 
as  follows: 

s     d 

1784  —  Five  days  work  spinning  stocken  yarn  2     1 

Two  washings  1 

Two  days  keping  house  10 

1785  —  103^  days  spinning  tow  4     8 

}/2  bushel  wheat  2     8 

2  bushels  oats  4 

Three  pigs  8 

1789  —  4  barrels  Sider     ^                         ^  15 

2  days  work  of  himself  and  of  his  oxen  6 

2  bushels  of  potatoes  3 

3  fowls  1  6 
Butter,  per  lb.  6 
Beef  by  the  Quarter,  per  lb.  2 

1798-180  ) 

95  lbs.  beef                                       ^  $2.85 

5  pecks  of  corn  &  half  a  day  tending  mill  .79 

13  qts.  of  soap  .72 

Butter  per  lb.  .14 

Corn  per  bushel  .50 

Killing  a  hogg  .16 

Weaving  per  yard  '053^2 

One  Quire  of  paper  .25 

200  feet  of  closing  bords  1.00 

Turnips  per  bushel  .25 

93/^  doz.  of  candles  1.14 


MISCELLANEOUS   T0\\^  SUBJECTS        257 

1804  —  6  lb.  of  Shugar  l.OO 

A  Gound  for  Salley  1.45 

One  pint  of  Gin  .123^ 

One  quart  of  Rum  .28 

11  bushels  of  ashes  1.37 

One  chunk  of  tobacco  -I'^y^ 

One  pond  press '^  tobacco  ,25 

Nothing  more  vividly  pictures  the  times  than  old  letters, 
though  unfortunately  but  few  have  been  preserved.  The 
following  extracts  reflect  the  sombreness  of  life  in  Ware  a 
century  ago: 

Ware,  May  10,  1819. 

.  .  .  With  Respect  to  our  aflfairs  here  at  Ware,  throuirh 
the  protection  and  care  of  a  kind  Providance  wee  are  all  in 
tolerable  health,  and  hope  that  these  imperfect  lines  may 
find  all  of  you  enjoying  the  same  blessing.  Wee  have  had 
great  movements  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  hearts  and  minds 
of  the  People  in  this  Town,  a  considerable  number  have 
joined  the  Church  .  .  . 

There  has  been  no  snow  this  winter  to  speak  of  and  very 
mild  to  the  13th  of  February,  then  a  snow  and  very  severe 
and  cold  to  the  first  of  May  .  .  . 

May  1,  1820. 

.  .  .  Last  winter  was  very  severe,  two  feet  of  snow  and 
sharp  weather.  Verry  fine  the  month  of  April,  but  rather 
dry.  It  is  now  good  planting  weather.  It  is  tolerable 
healthy  at  present,  but  there  has  been  about  nine  deaths 
since  the  year  came  in  in  this  town  .  .  . 

May  1,  1820. 

...  I  am  just  able  to  keep  about  and  do  some  small 
matter  of  work.  My  complaints  are  much  as  they  were  when 
you  went  away.  Mother's  being  sick  and  unwell  all  winter, 
I  have  had  to  do  more  than  I  was  able.  She  took  of  a  cold 
which  seated  on  her  lungs,  she  had  a  violent  cough,  the 
Doctor  thought  her  case  was  doubtful,  we  heard  of  a  sirup 
that  was  made  of  the  bark  of  the  root  of  that  wilier  that 
bears  a  white  the  spring  that  we  use  to  call  pusis,  this  sirup 
to  be  swalowed  with  honey  and  spirits.  This  sirup  apeared 
to  relieve  cough  more  than  anything  the  Doct  could  do  .  .  . 


258  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Ware,  Dec.  16,  1822. 

Respectable  and  Beneficent  Friends. 

I  think  it  my  duty  to  answer  your  Request  .  .  .  and 
now  take  in  hand  to  show  you  some  of  the  marks  of  my 
crooked  fingars.  And  through  a  kind  Providence,  wee  are 
all  in  a  tolerable  State  of  health,  but  it  has  been  very  sickly 
in  these  parts  this  season,  the  measles  last  spring,  and  a 
malignant  fever  has  prevailed  this  fall,  which  has  caused  a 
number  of  deaths.  Wee  have  had  a  fruitful  summer.  Indian 
Corn  and  potatoes  were  exceeding  good  and  other  kinds  of 
grain  have  come  in  well.  .  .  . 

Ware,  February,  1823. 
Benevolent  and  affectionate  Friend. 

It  is  gratifying  to  hear  from  our  acquaintance  and  Friends 
when  they  have  been  long  absent.  But  when  there  comes 
Disagreeable  Tidings  it  strikes  our  feelings  with  a  damp. 
Sir,  I  am  sorry  for  your  bad  fortune,  and  am  not  able  to 
grant  you  any  relief.  Sir,  I  have  been  in  a  state  of  bad 
health  this  winter  with  the  Rheumatism  and  obliged  to  keep 
the  house  more  than  two  months  and  when  I  got  out  among 
my  Neighbours  I  endevoured  to  inquire  respecting  the 
Buisnes  that  you  requested  me  and  I  have  been  to  Esquire 
Bowdoin  but  I  find  no  encouragement  respecting  your  term 
of  service  at  Roxboro  for  it  does  not  Corespond  with  the 
act  of  Congress.  They  go  no  farther  back  than  seventy  six. 
The  act  of  Congress  states  a  soldier  must  be  enlisted  Nine 
months  in  the  Continental  Service,  the  tower  that  you 
served  in  was  eight  months.  The  Congress  takes  no  notice 
of  that  tower  of  service.  And  furthermore  there  was  one 
or  two  men  in  this  Town  that  were  out  in  that  same  tower 
who  have  tryed  faithfully  to  recover  a  pention  and  are  de- 
feated. And  now  Sir,  I  have  nothing  of  great  importance 
to  Wright  to  you  but  with  respect  to  our  Family  through  the 
goodness  of  a  Kind  Providence  wee  are  all  in  a  comfortable 
state  of  health  altho  my  Wife  and  I  by  old  age  are  fast 
advancing  toward  the  grave.  And  with  respect  to  my  Neigh- 
bours it  has  been  verry  sickly  this  year  past  and  more  Deaths 
than  ever  hapened  in  one  year  Since  the  Town  was  Settled 
by   reason   of   a   malignant   fever   resembling   the   Yellow 

fever.     There  has  thirty  six  persons  died.     My  son  A 

has  but  just  escaped  with  the  life  with  that  fever.    My  son 
N lost  his  second  child  a  daughter  about  six  years  and 


I 


:\nSCELLAXE0r5  TOWN  SUBJECTS        559 

an  half  old  last  may  with  the  Black  measles.  As  to  yonr 
relations  in  this  Town  Lieut.  Cummings  and  his  Wife  are 
both  dead.  The  Widow  Hannah  Mc  Clintock  is  in  a  bad 
situation  with  the  cramp  rheumatism.  She  can  neither 
stand  nor  go  and  perhaps  never  will.  I  might  proseed  fur- 
ther and  inform  respecting  other  matters  such  as  alteration 
of  Inhabitance  and  especialy  at  Magoon's  mills.  A  company 
of  Boston  Jentle  Men  have  bought  the  place,  set  up  two 
great  Factories,  one  for  Cotton,  the  other  for  Wollen. 
Built  eight  or  ten  great  two  story  houses  &  a  number  of 
others. 

Ware  March  the  first,  1831. 

Benevolent  and  absent  but  not  forgotten  Friends. 

I  take  my  pen  with  an  endeavour  to  answer  your  re- 
quest in  a  letter  of  yours,  which  I  received  on  the  seventh  of 
January  last.  And  now  my  friends  by  reason  of  eighty 
one  years  pasing  over  my  head  and  taking  a  bad  cold  and 
Rhumatism  I  have  enjoyed  but  a  low  state  of  health  this 
winter.  Yet  by  the  Paternal  indulgence  of  a  kind  Provi- 
dence I  am  yet  alive,  while  many  of  my  nearest  friends  and 
Neighbours  have  gone  to  the  eternal  World.  And  with  re- 
spect to  the  afi'airs  of  this  Town  and  People  there  is  consid- 
erable alteration  since  you  left  this  Town  as  it  is  divided 
into  two  Parishes  with  two  settled  Ministers,  three  large 
Factories  at  where  Magoon's  mils  were.  But  I  must  turn 
my  pen  to  another  subject  and  let  you  know  now  some  things 
respecting  my  Family  and  Friends  which  is  as  follows.  In 
the  year  182-2  my  son  N 's  second  child,  a  very  promis- 
ing little  girl  between  six  and  seven  years  old  died  with  the 
measels.  Her  mother  being  in  a  Consumptive  state  in  the 
year  182.5  was  put  to  bed  with  a  still  born  infant  and  Shee 
Survived  but  fourteen  days,  and  two  months  after  my  sen 

S 's  Wife  died  by  a  violent  Fever.     Again  in  the  year 

1826  my  Wife  died,  and  in  1827  my  son  N with  Con- 
sumption died.  So  that  in  the  space  of  five  j-ears  and  tv.-o 
months  there  was  five  Corps  carried  from  my  dwelling,  my 
two  Brothers  and  all  my  Sisters  dead,  so  like  Jobe's  servants, 
I  only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee.  I  will  give  you  a  fur- 
ther list  of  names  that  you  was  acquainted  with  —  old 
Samuel  Dunsmore  his  wife  and  all  his  family.  Levi  &  his 
wife  and  son  Asa,  Darius  Eaton,  Phille  Morse,  Capt.  Oliver 
Coney,  all  the  Cummings  except  the  third  Jeneration,  old 


260  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Nathan  Davis,  John  Andrews,  John  Gardner,  Thomas 
Winslow  his  wife  and  Ehjah,  Isaac  Pepper,  Tomas  and 
William  Paterick  and  George  Brakenridge,  Thomas  Marsh 

and  Judah, Simonds,  Thomas  and  James  Mc  Clintock, 

their  wives  are  still  alive.  Deacon  Paige,  David  Gould  and 
his  wife,  Jacob  Lazel,  old  Thomas  Dammon,  James  and  John 
Gillmore,  all  the  Magoons  are  dead,  old  Sam  Brown  and 
his  son  Sam.  And  now  my  kind  Friends  I  have  wrote  till 
my  trembling  hand  is  almost  tired  and  the  half  is  not  told. 
Forty  eight  hours  interview  personaly  would  give  to  you  and 
me  much  greater  satisfaction,  but  the  great  distance  there  is 
between  you  and  us  will  probably  prevent  such  a  favour  and 
as  the  time  with  you  and  me  is  very  short  it  will  be  the  greater 
wisdom  in  us  to  see  that  wee  have  secured  an  Interest  in 
the  merits  and  atonement  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has 
made  for  lost  man.  And  now  my  friends  as  I  cannot  reach 
you  my  hand,  the  badge  of  parting  friendship,  I  shall  stop 
my  pen  after  wishing  these  few  imperfect  lines  may  reach 
you  and  all  your  family  and  friends  in  health  peace  and 
prosperity.     Adieu. 


'^ 


Map  of  the  Town  of  IVare,  showing  Original  Estates 

Compilaljrmn  Original  llemrris 


XII 

The  Map 

The  labor  involved  in  determining  the  location  of  the 
farms  of  the  first  actual  settlers  on  the  land  has  been  fully 
equal  to  that  required  for  the  whole  of  the  remainder  of  this 
book.  My  own  work  along  this  line  has  been  confined  to  the 
Manour  and  the  Marsh  Tract.  The  remainder  was  thor- 
oughly done  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Gilbert  in  his  "Early  Grants," 
and  his  results  are  incorporated  in  this  map. 

No  plot  of  the  Manour  has  come  to  light,  though  that  such 
a  plot  existed  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  lots  were  often 
sold  by  number.  In  the  absence  of  any  such  plan,  the  task 
of  locating  important  lots  is  extremely  difficult.  A  theoreti- 
cal location  often  proves  to  be  far  from  the  actual  one. 
Highways  as  boundary  lines  are  sometimes  most  treacher- 
ous, for  there  is  scarcely  a  highway  in  town  today  that  fol- 
lows the  lines  of  roads  in  use  before  1750.  A  plan  of  Abigail 
Miller's  division  of  the  Manour,  found  in  the  Probate  Office 
in  Boston,  furnishes  a  sort  of  key  to  the  situation,  but  gives 
by  no  means  a  complete  solution.  A  description  of  Mrs. 
Hunn's  division  in  the  Probate  Records  at  Northampton 
enables  us  to  plot  the  original  division  into  lots  of  her  share 
of  the  Manour;  yet  when  her  property  was  sold  by  her  ex- 
ecutors the  lines  of  the  original  lots  were  largely  ignored. 
And  the  document,  too,  is  full  of  errors.  For  example, 
Abigail  Miller's  share  of  Mrs.  Hunn's  estate  is  said  to  be 
116  acres,  while  its  dimensions  are  stated  to  be  96  by  345 
rods,  which  makes  207  acres. 

All  of  the  lots  except  those  in  Abigail  Miller's  division 
have  been  plotted  from  records  in  the  Registry  of  Deeds.  It 
is  interesting  to  note  how  generally  the  lines  follow  certain 
important  lines  of  the  grand  divisions. 

John  Reed  died  in  1749.  The  agreement  among  the  heirs 
for  a  general  division  was  reached  in  1755.  The  document 
describing  it  is  recorded  at  Springfield.    The  Manour  is  first 


262  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

separated  into  two  parts  by  what  shall  be  knowTi  as  the 
Dividing  Line. 

First  a  line  being  drawn  through  said  Manour  from  the 
south  to  the  north  lines  thereof  thus:  to  begin  at  the  south 
east  corner  of  the  said  Manour  lands  leased  to  Henry 
Dwight  Esq.  and  in  the  south  line  thereof,  from  thence 
running  north  by  the  needle  of  the  compass  174  rods  to  a 
white  oak  stake  and  stones  marked  HD  at  the  north  east 
corner  of  said  land  leased  to  said  Dwight,  thence  west  and 
by  south  12  rods  to  a  stake  a  little  south  of  a  pond-hole  and 
at  the  south  east  corner  of  John  Davises  lott,  from  thence 
north  by  the  needle  to  the  north  line  of  the  Manour  which 
line  drawn  through  the  Manour  as  aforesaid  shall  be  called 
and  known  by  the  name  of  the  Dividing  Line,  which  line 
runs  through  the  mill-pond  up  along,  east  of  David  Read's 
Benj'n  Bartlets'  and  Enos  Allen's  lotts  over  the  chimney  of 
Moulton's  house  up  to  said  north  line  to  a  small  oak  staddle 
with  stones  about  it  on  a  high  ledge  of  rocks. 

We  are  further  told  that  the  southern  end  of  the  Divid- 
ing Line  is  about  665  rods  from  Swift  River.  The  jog  in  the 
Line  is  due  to  the  existence  of  leases  previously  made  by 
John  Read,  Sen.,  and  indicates  a  tier  of  lots  called  the 
"South  End  Lots."  No  less  than  six  lessees  are  named  in 
describing  the  Line. 

The  further  division  and  allotment  of  shares  to  the  Read 
heirs  is  simple  and  clear  as  indicated  on  the  map,  with  one 
exception,  that  of  Charles  and  Mary  Morris,  whose  divi- 
sion is  thus  described: 

Beginning  at  the  south  west  corner  of  said  Abigai' 
Millers  division  in  the  pond,  thence  south  in  said  Dividing 
Line  to  the  north  west  corner  of  the  7th  lot  in  the  fifth  tier 
of  lots  from  the  east,  thence  east  11  deg.  15  m.  north  to  the 
north  east  corner  of  said  lot,  then  south  by  the  east  end  of 
the  7th  8th  9th  and  10th  lots  in  said  tier  and  down  by  the 
east  side  of  the  7th  lot  from  the  east  in  the  south  end  lots 
to  the  south  line  of  said  Manour. 

From  this  point  the  Manour  boundary-lines  are  followed. 

A  plausible  solution  has  been  found  only  after  much 
study  and  innumerable  rearrangements  of  lots.    Apparently 


THE   MAP  203 

the  northern  section,  250  rods  in  width,  counts  as  one  in 
numbering  the  lots.  Also  the  south  end  lots  nuisl  l)e  taken 
as  having  their  length  north  and  south.  Wiiore  lots  are 
counted  from  the  south,  this  tier  counts  one.  The  7th,  8th, 
9th  and  10th  lots,  and  the  7th  from  the  east  in  the  south  end 
tier  were  reserved  for  John  Read's  widow,  who  was  to  enjoy 
the  income  from  them  during  her  life.  They  were  regarded, 
however,  as  a  part  of  the  Morris  division,  the  "(Irand 
cornerof  Morris  and  Mrs.Hunn"  being  on  the  Dividing  Line. 
The  lessees  of  this  excepted  tier  of  lots  have  not  been  identi- 
fied, though  identification  may  reasonably  be  hoped  for. 

John  Read,  Jr.,  eldest  son  of  John  Read,  born  in  1700,  was 
a  man  of  considerable  prominence  in  the  Colony  of  Con- 
necticut, being  known  as  Colonel  Read.  His  home  was  at 
Fairfield,  as  was  also  that  of  his  sister,  Ruth  Hunn.  He 
was  a  slave-holder,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  following: 

February  ^  A.  Dom.  1735/6 

I  marryed  my  Servant  Negro  man  to  my  Servant  Indian 
Maid  Cate  in  presence  of  y^  Rev^  Mr.  Nath'^'  Hunn  & 
Jemima  Patterson  witnesses. 

Test.     John  Read,  Justice  of  P« 

Then  follow  the  names  of  ten  children  born  of  this  union. 

Colonel  Read  died  about  1776,  leaving  "a  piece  of  land  at 
Nod,  so  called,"  and  "a  piece  of  land  at  Mount  Misery,  so 
called,"  both  farms  inherited  from  his  father's  Connecticut 
estate.  Of  land  in  Ware,  Colonel  Read  inherited  1,513  acres, 
all  of  which  was  disposed  of  either  by  him  or  by  his  son 
Hezekiah  as  follows: 

1.  57  a.2  bought  by  Job  Carley  in  1776  [the  spelling  of 
the  name  is  that  given  in  the  deed].  In  1777  Job  sells  the 
same  to  Jonathan  Carley. 

2.  About  100  a.  bought  by  Joseph  Pepper  in  1775. 

3.  14  a.  bought  by  Noah  Thompson  in  1782.  This  bor- 
dered on  Noah's  farm  in  Palmer,  which  he  had  acquired 
from  John  Thompson,  who  in  1742  had  purchased  of  Andrew 
McKee  a  grantee  of  the  General  Court  in  1732. 

1  Fairfield  Probate  and  Town  Records.  The  enslaving  of  Indians  was  not  as 
rare  as  one  could  wish. 

2  A  —  acres. 


264  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

4.  About  40  a.  bought  by  Henry  Thompson  1782. 

5.  150  a.  100  bought  by  John  Thompson  Senior  in  1763. 
Descended  to  Henry  and  Noah  Thompson.  Also  50  a.  the 
western  third  of  the  lot,  bought  by  John  in  1769. 

6.  100  a.  bought  by  Seth  Shaw  in  1776. 

7.  200  a.  Henry  Dwight,  lessee.  The  full  story  of  this 
lease  has  been  told  under  "  The  Manour, "  The  east  half  was 
sold  to  John  Quintin  in  1776. 

8.  Lot  of  John  Davis,  Lessee.  Transferred  at  some  time 
to  Joseph  Patterson.  200  a.  This  land  was  the  subject  of 
a  law-suit  in  1781.  John  Read,  Jr.,  had  allowed  Joseph  Pat- 
terson the  use  and  occupation  of  two  farms:  —  "The  south- 
ernmost lot  of  land  of  the  sixth  tier  of  lots  from  the  east  in 
the  Manour."  Also  "The  southernmost  lot  of  the  seventh 
tier  from  the  east."  For  ten  years  previous  to  the  suit 
Patterson  had  paid  no  rent,  and  was  chargeable  as  per  bill 
filed  with  the  papers  of  the  suit  as  follows: 

Joseph  Patterson  to  John  Read  Esq. 

Dr. 
Sept.  10,  1780. 

To  the  use  of  the  southermost  Lot  in  the 
sixth  Tier,  from  the  10th  Day  of  Sept.'  1770 
(the  Time  to  which  the  past  Rents  were  paid) 
to  this  Time  (Viz)  10  years  at  £5  by  the  year 
in  Silver £50 

To  the  use  of  the  southermost  Lot  in  the 
seventh  Tier  for  the  same  10  years  at  £5  p' 
year  in  Silver 50 

£100„0„0 

The  defendent  defaulted  appearance,  and  judgment  was 
rendered  for  the  plaintiff,  £122,,5„1  silver  or  bills  of 
public  credit  equivalent,  together  with  costs  amounting  to 
£6„13.    Execution  dated  Feb.  19,  1781. 

9.  About  210  a.  bought  by  Benjamin  Thompson  1784. 
This  lot  touched  two  important  points:  "The  Grand  Corner 
of  Morris  and  Mrs.  Hunn,"  and  "Bullon's  Corner." 

10.  40  a.  bought  by  Seth  Shaw,  1776. 

11.  15^  a.  bought  by  Seth  Shaw,  1782. 

12.  913^2  a.  bought  by  James  Dow  in  1774.  Dow  sells 
same  to  John  Patrick  and  Joseph  Patterson  in  1779. 

13.  Samuel  Lammon  bought  100  a.  in  1776. 

14.  James  Lammon  Jr.  bought  68)^  a.  in  1767,  and  89 


THE  MAP  2C5 

acres  adjoining  on  the  south  in  1782.  He  bought  78  acres 
more  just  north  of  Samuel  Lammon  and  touching  tlic  coriier 
of  his  own  in  1783.  A  portion  of  this  tract  nortli  of  the 
road  is  known  today  as  "The  Lemon  Swamp." 

James  Lammon,  Sen.,  and  Polly  his  wife,  came  from 
Ireland  with  their  sons,  Samuel  and  James,  Jr.,  in  1727. 
They  settled  on  land  south  of  the  Manour.  Tlic  two  sons 
removed  to  the  Manour,  as  above,  and  this  land  remained 
in  the  family  for  more  than  a  century, 

15.  Here  stood  "the  house  of  the  Widow  Bush"  in  1767. 

Ruth  Hunn  of  Fairfield,  Conn.,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Nathanacl 
Hunn,  inherited  970  acres  of  the  Manour  from  her  father, 
John  Read.  Her  share  was  directly  north  of  John  Read,  Jr.'s 
division.  Mrs.  Hunn  died  about  1765.  Her  will  may  l)e 
seen  in  the  Fairfield  Probate  Records,  but  it  was  never  al- 
lowed. It  contains  a  curious  provision  for  turning  her 
house  into  a  mausoleum  for  the  reception  of  her  body. 
The  heirs  in  1767  petitioned  the  General  Court  of  Connecti- 
cut for  permission  to  sell  her  land  in  Ware  "it  being  gener- 
ally unimproved,  and  yielding  no  profit."  Mrs.  Hunn  left 
no  children.    Her  brothers  and  sisters  were  her  only  heirs. 

16.  Joseph  Patterson  bought  of  the  estate  of  Ruth  Hunn, 
also  a  strip  of  John  Read's,  amounting  to  105  a.  in  1769. 
Patterson  gave  a  mortgage  which  was  foreclosed  by  John 
Read  in  1782.  Read  evidently  sold  the  large  tract  compris- 
ing 16  and  17  to  John  Quentin,  who,  in  1782,  gives  a  mort- 
gage to  Read.  The  acreage  is  stated  as  175,  but  a  calculation 
of  the  dimensions  given  in  the  deed  shows  it  to  be  actually 
more  than  275  acres.  Phineas  Davidson  was  living  on  the 
north  east  portion  of  this  land  shortly  before  the  year  1800. 

18.  181  a.  Othniel  Hyde  bought  in  1792  of  Legate,  it 
being  part  of  Ruth  Hunn's  estate  set  off  to  Chas.  Morris. 

19.  About  160  a.  known  as  the  Gerrold,  or  South  Bellows 
lot.  Thomas  Legate  3rd  sold  to  Clark  McMaster  of  Palmer 
in  1806. 

20.  275  a.  bought  by  Joseph  Quentin  in  1782  of  sisters  of 
Ruth  Hunn.    Later  became  property  of  Daniel  Gould. 

The  division  of  W^illiam  Read  contained  980  acres. 
William  was  born  in  1710  and  went  to  Boston  with  his  father. 


260  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

He  became  a  jiid^e  of  the  Superior  Court  and  died  unmarried 
in  1780.  His  estate  was  small,  there  bein<?  but  little  of  value 
besides  his  land  in  Ware. 

^1.  100  a.  bought  by  John  Bullen  in  1771.  At  a  nmch 
later  date  the  Town  Records  refer  to  this  as  "the  Bulling 
farm  belonging  to  D"*  Daniel  Gould." 

This  is  the  only  lot  in  William  Read's  division  that  was 
sold  before  his  death.  A  large  part  appears  to  have  been 
rented  or  leased.  The  disposal  of  the  rest  of  the  tract  was 
in  the  hands  of  Thomas  Legate  of  Leominster,  who  also 
had  power  of  attorney  to  sell  for  others  of  the  Read  heirs. 

22.  100  a.  bought  by  Charles  Bonney  in  1799.  He  lived 
on  the  lot  previous  to  purchasing. 

23.  73  a.  Samuel  Patrick  bought  in  1806. 

24.  112  a.  Samuel  Blair  bought  in  1806.  Previously 
occupied  by  Noah  Willis. 

25.  100.  a.  Benson  Sherman  bought  in  1806. 

26.  100  a.  bought  by  John  Tisdale,  Jr.,  in  1799. 

John  Tisdale,  Sen.,  came  from  jTaunton  in  1775  and  set- 
tled in  Greenwich,  South  Parish,  near  Enfield.  In  1779  he 
removed  to  Ware. 

27.  100  a.  bought  by  Oliver  Vose  of  Leominster  in  1807. 
Described  as  the  Henry  Thompson  lot,  lately  in  occupation 
of  William  Clopford.    In  1805  it  was  called  the  Lincoln  Farm. 

28  and  29  were  bought  by  Isaac  Pepper.  David  Reed  ap- 
pears to  have  held  28  as  lessee  and  Benjamin  Bartlett  was 
lessee  of  29,  both  being  in  possession  in  1755,  when  the  Divid- 
ing Line  was  located. 

30.  Described  as  "Land  of  James  Brakenridge"  in  1805. 
Jacob  Lazell  appears  to  have  been  Brakenridge's  tenant. 

31.  100  a.  bought  by  Reuben  Smith,  1803. 

32.  139  a.  bought  by  Reuben  Sherman,  1806.  It  was 
"commonly  called  Stone's  lot." 

Deborah  '  and  Henry  Paget,  daughter  and  son-in-law  of 
John  Read,  received  2,385  acres  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
Manour  as  their  share  of  the  Read  estate.  The  land  extended 
from  the  Swift  River  to  the  east  line  of  the  Manour.  This 
entire  tract  they  sold  to  John  Merret,  or  Merritt,  of  Provi- 

'  Deborah  was  twice  married.    Her  6rst  husband  was  a  Mr.  Willstead 


THE   MXV  o()7 

(Kmu'o  ill  17,">()  for  Ci'll.  IMiM-rill  (lit'«l  jihoiit  1770  si  ill  hold 
iiii;  a  considtM-al)!!'  |n)rlioii  of  llir  tract.  Ills  oxocutor  was 
John  lloiiiy  ()voriii^\  aiul  two  or  throo  sales  arc  rcoordod  in 
ills  name.  That  llio  situation  was  hoconiin^  (•oni|)licato(l  is 
sht)wn  from  the  following,  copied  from  an  anciiiil  eIi|)i)inK 
lliat  chanee  has  preserved. 

Notice  is  liereby  ^'iven  to  the  Iji'irs  of  .John  Henry 
Overen  that  their  hnuis  lyini,'  in  tht>  town  of  Ware,  in  the 
County  of  llampsliire,  are  taxed  in  my  et)IUM'tion  for  tlie 
year  17S;"),  as  follows,  viz.  tt)wn  taxes  (Is.  Sd.  minister's 
settlement  taxes,  ts.  ()d.  minister's  .salary  taxes,  Sjs.  Id. 
llnli^^s  said  taxes  are  paid  to  me  on  t)r  hefon*  the  'iHh  day 
of  I^'ehrnary  inst.  at  '2  o'eloek,  v.  ^\.,  1  shall  proe<H>d  to  sell 
so  mneh  »)f  said  land  as  will  pay  the  al)ove  rales  and  inter- 
vening eharij^es,  at  pnhliek  vendue,  at  the  house  of  John 
Quinten's  in  Ware,  |)er  me, 

Erwin  Shuw,  Collector  for  t785. 

Ware,  Jan.  S.  17S!). 

S.'l.  This  lot  was  in  tlu'  po.s.se.ssion  of  one  Overill  in  1S{)(>. 

:M<.  (5:1  a.  bought  by  Kbenezer  Davis  of  John  INlerritl  in 
17(>1.     D.ivis  was  a  tenant  bi^fore  |>urehasing. 

85.   ()eeu|)ietl  by  .laeob  l^azc  11  in  ISO.). 

SO.  This  lot  was  the  subject  of  the  l.iw-suit  t>f  the  Kead 
heirs  rs.  James  Nivins,  linally  in  17()!)  diuidetl  in  favor  of 
the  plaint ilV.  It  was  the  test  ease,  cnrrietl  to  the  supreme 
court.  The  records  of  this  case  jjfave  us  m;iny  valuable 
papers  conciM-ning  the  INlanour.  Merritt's  (>xt>iutor.  John 
Overini,'.  in  177'2  sells  this  tract  of  7'2  acres  to  Danii^l  Harris 
of  Spriuglield.  It  is  dcscribiMl  in  the  {Wed  as  the  tract  that 
INltM-ritt  recovered  from  James  Nevins  in  an  aelit)n  of  Merritt 
i\s.  Ncnins;  beinu:  "part  of  the  i,'nint  or  farm  of  .">00  acres 
on  which  James  Nivins  lives  that  lies  south  of  s'  iu»rlh  line 
of  s-'  Ware." 

.S7.  There  was  litiiration  similar  to  the  above  ovtT  this 
tract,  the  ea.se  hcuxix  Head  rs.  INloulton.  IJobert  Moulton 
had  ac(]uired  a  farm  in  the  same  manuiM-  as  Nivins,  iuMiorant 
of  the  fact  that  it  encroachetl  upt)n  the  Head  Manour. 
JMoulton  refu.sed  to  pay  taxes  in  Ware,  thus  preeii)ilating  a 
suit  with  the  town.  —  the  tirst  of  which  there  is  rccortl.  In 
17()0  the  parish  voted  £'2  "to  go  to  law  with  Moulton." 
In  1701  Samuel  Sherman  and  William  Breakenridge  were 


268  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

appointed  a  committee  "to  finish  the  suit  with  Moulton." 
Moulton,  losing  the  Read  suit,  appears  to  have  settled  the 
parish  claim  out  of  court.  In  1772  John  Overing  sold  the  tract 
of  103  acres  to  Robert  Morton,  —  undoubtedly  Moulton 
with  a  different  spelling. 

38.  David  Pulsifer  bought  in  1761  "the  farm  on  which  he 
now  lives"  of  136  acres,  bounded  easterly  by  the  road. 
Pulsifer  being  unable  to  pay  for  it  "and  the  bargain  being 
void,"  Merritt's  executor  sells  the  same  to  James  Lawton 
in  1773. 

39.  An  irregular  tract  of  139  acres  east  of  the  road.  No 
deed  has  been  found  but  a  mortgage  of  Edmund  Capen  to 
John  Overing  dated  1772.  Enos  Allen  was  in  possession  of 
the  lower  corner  near  the  Dividing  Line  in  1755. 

40.  152  a.  John  Harwood  bought  of  Merritt  in  1761. 
Harwood  was  living  on  the  land  at  the  time  of  purchase. 

41.  100  a.  James  Lammon  bought  of  Merritt  in  1762. 
It  was  known  as  "the  Edmund  Taylor  Lot." 

42.  50  a.  John  Harwood  bought  of  Merritt  in  1761. 

43.  119  a.  William  Blackmer,  Jr.,  bought  of  Merritt  in 
1762.  Part  had  previously  been  occupied  by  Thomas  Crow- 
foot. In  1767  "Joseph  Marsh's  house"  stood  just  north  of 
Patrick's  east  line. 

44.  70  a.  Cornelius  Weeks  bought  of  Merritt  in  1762,  "it 
being  the  lot  on  which  Thomas  Crowfoot  did  live." 

45.  No  deed  found.  Described  by  abutters  as  "Joseph 
Patterson's  possession." 

46.  87  a.  William  Blackmer,  Jr.,  bought  of  Merritt's  exec- 
utor in  1773. 

47.  100  a.  bought  by  Jonathan  Foster  in  1762. 

48.  100  a.  James  Brown  bought  of  Merritt  in  1769.  The 
lot  was  previously  occupied  by  Elijah  Cummings. 

In  tracing  the  lots  of  Abigail  Miller's  division  it  seems 
best  to  follow  the  numbering  given  on  the  plan  found  in  the 
Probate  Records  of  the  County  of  Sufi'olk.  The  plan  was 
made  after  the  death  of  Mrs.  Miller,  and  bears  the  date 
October,  1769.  The  heirs  are  Mrs.  Miller's  sons  and  sons- 
in-law.  The  lots  sold  previous  to  Mrs.  Miller's  death  are 
not  numbered  in  the  plan. 

No.  1.  100  a.  This  was  for  many  years  known  as  the 
Olds  Lot.    The  first  of  this  name  that  we  find  in  Ware  was 


THE    MAP  269 

Jonathan  Olds.  In  1761  his  daughter,  Comfort  Olds  of 
Ware,  consitutes  Joseph  Patterson  of  Palmer  her  altorDev 
for  the  settlement  of  her  father's  estate.  Olds  never  owned 
this  lot,  though  he  undoubtedly  lived  on  it.  It  descended  to 
William  Sheppard  and  his  wife  Deborah,  who  in  1770  sold 
Lot  No.  1,  one  half  of  No.  3,  and  No.  4,  —  250  acres  in  all, 
to  Benjamin  Lincoln  of  Hingham.  Lincoln  sold  No.  1  t() 
Isaac  Cummings  in  1771. 

No.  2.  140  a.  Descended  to  William  Miller.  In  1771  he 
sold  120  acres,  consisting  of  the  east  half  of  No.  2  and  No.  3 
to  William  Breakenridge.  The  west  half  of  No.  2  went  to 
Jacob  Hickson,  blacksmith.  The  west  half  of  No.  3  went 
to  George  Breakenridge  in  1784. 

William  Breakenridge,  who  was  a  prominent  man  here  for 
more  than  thirty  years,  one  of  the  first  board  of  selectmen, 
the  first  representative  to  the  Provincial  Congress,  and  town 
clerk  for  eighteen  years,  came  to  this  country  from  Ireland 
in  1727,  when  four  years  of  age,  with  his  father,  James 
Breakenridge,  a  native  of  Scotland.  The  name  has  reference 
to  the  peculiar  features  of  that  country,  its  hill  ridges  cov- 
ered with  bracken  or  fern.  The  family  settled  in  the  Elbow 
Tract,  near  Palmer  Centre.  William  and  James,  sons  of 
James,  Sen.,  acquired  farms  in  Ware.  The  rest  of  the  family 
remained  in  the  southern  division.  The  Breakenridges  were 
among  the  largest  land-owners  of  the  town.' 

No.  4.  Lincoln  sells  50  acres  of  No.  4,  and  20  acres  at 
the  north  end  of  No.  3  to  Simeon  Cummings  in  1772. 

Joseph  Miller  received  from  his  mother  Nos,  5,  16,  19, 
20,  21  and  23.  William  Miller,  William  Sheppard  and  Rob- 
ert Pierpont  get  executions  against  Joseph  in  1771,  and  his 
land  is  all  sold.  Nos.  5,  16,  19,  and  the  north  part  of  No. 
20  go  to  Rev.  Ezra  Thayer  and  Joseph  Foster  "in  equal 
moieties"  in  1772.  The  north-east  corner  of  No.  5,  contain- 
ing 50  acres,  was  sold  to  Daniel  Brown  of  Western  in  1769. 

No.  6.  116  a.  William  Miller  sold  to  Thomas  Patrick  of 
Western  in  1770. 

No.  7.  Abner  Hunt  in  1772  sold  the  north  part,  58  acres, 
to  William  Breakenridge. 

No.  8.  The  northern  half,  50  acres,  was  sold  by  Hezekiah 
Read  Miller  to  Ezra  Pepper  of  New  Braintree  in  1771.    The 

^  Hyde's  "  Historical  Address,"  and  Temple's  "  History  of  Palmer." 


270  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

southern  half  of  No.  8  and  the  northern  half  of  No.  9,  100 
acres,  were  sold  by  Miller  to  William  Anderson  in  1770. 
The  west  end  of  the  lot  is  described  as  being  "on  the  east 
side  of  Long  Hill  so  called." 

Twenty-three  acres  of  No.  8,  lying  just  north  of  Ander- 
son's, passed  through  the  hands  of  Joshua  Nichols  of  East- 
hampton,  and  in  1795  was  purchased  by  Thomas  Snell, 
famous  for  the  manufacture  of  augers.  This  was  Snell's 
earliest  recorded  purchase  of  land  in  Ware.  William  Snell, 
who  at  this  time  owned  land  on  Ware  River  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  town,  was  not  of  the  same  family. 

No.  9.  A  33  acre  tract  south  of  Anderson's  was  sold  to 
Capt.  Jacob  Cummings  in  1769.  The  remainder  of  this  lot, 
13  acres,  went  to  Ezra  Thayer  in  1769.  The  description 
begins  "four  and  one  half  rods  west  of  the  northernmost 
part  of  the  Pound."  The  tract  is  half  a  mile  long  running 
east  and  west,  and  14  rods  wide.  Exception  is  made  of 
highways  and  "the  meeting-house  plot  and  burying  place 
which  are  partly  within  the  Above  named  boundaries." 
The  entire  exception  amounts  to  but  one  acre. 

No.  10.  140  a.  Nathaniel  Vose  sold  to  James  McClintock 
in  1778.  It  is  bounded  south  on  the  Ministerial  Lot,  the 
Glebe  of  1767. 

No.  11.  The  north  part,  35  acres,  was  sold  by  Vose  to 
William  Cutter  or  Cutler  [both  spellings  given]  in  1772. 
By  1778  this  part  had  come  to  Capt.  William  Breakenridge, 
and  Submit  Cutter  occupies  part  of  No.  9.  The  remainder 
of  No.  11,  70  acres,  was  bought  by  James  McClintock  in 
1778. 

No.  12.  75  a.  John  Miller  sold  to  William  Breakenridge 
in  1773. 

No.  13.  Probably  bought  by  Thomas  Patrick.  Patrick's 
first  purchase  was  from  Abigail  Miller  in  1767,  about  140 
acres,  extending  north-west  and  south-east,  the  lower  corner 
just  crossing  Flat  Brook. 

No.  14.  81  a.  Thomas  Patrick  bought  of  John  Miller  in 
1771.  In  1768  Patrick  had  purchased  of  Mrs.  Miller  60 
acres  south  of  No.  14,  described  as  "part  of  the  tract  known 
as  the  Long  Swamp."  South  of  this  is  a  lot  of  40  acres, 
part  of  the  "Long  Swamp,"  which  Mrs.  Miller  sold  to  David 
Reed,  mason,  in  1764.  Before  1769  it  had  gone  into  the  pos- 
session of  James  Capen.  The  small  parcels  farther  south, 
one  of  17,  the  other  of  4^^  acres,  were  bought  by  Ezra 
Thayer,  whose  homestead  adjoined.     This  homestead  lot 


THE   MAP  271 

of  Ezra  Thayer  was  the  original  Glebe  of  1748,  the  history 
of  which  has  been  given.  At  the  east  end  John  Head  ex- 
pected the  meeting-house  to  stand.  After  Ezra  Tiia^er's 
death  this  farm  was  bought  by  William  Paige  who  came 
from  Hardwick  in  1777.  He  became  prominent  in  both 
parish  and  town,  and  held  many  offices;  was  Deacon  of  the 
First  Church  from  1789  to  1826.  He  was  a  prominent  inn- 
keeper for  many  years. 

No.  15.  Abner  Hunt  sold  to  Joseph  Foster,  blacksmith, 
in  1771. 

No.  16.  Ezra  Thayer  and  Joseph  Foster  bought  in  1772. 
This  lot  was  known  as  the  Irish  Meadow. 

No.  17.    John  Miller  sold  to  Ezra  Thayer  in  1773. 

No.  18.  80  a.  H.  R.  Miller  sold  to  Thomas  Patrick  Jr. 
in  1779. 

Nos.  19  and  20.  100  a.  each.  Ezra  Thayer  and  Joseph 
Foster  bought  in  1772.  No.  20  is  described  at  this  time  as 
running  west  "into  the  mill  pond." 

Nos.  21  and  23.  Execution  in  favor  of  "William  Miller 
and  William  Sheppard  in  1771.  Seth  Shaw  bought  the 
southern  half  of  No.  23  in  1806,  and  the  whole  lot  later 
became  part  of  the  Gould  farm. 

No.  22.    105  a.  Vose  sold  to  Ezra  Thayer  in  1773. 

Charles  and  Mary  Morris,  the  latter  a  daughter  of  John 
Read,  inherited  the  south-east  section  of  the  Manour,  2,501 
acres.  In  1732,  when  only  16  years  of  age,  Mary  Read 
married  Charles  Morris,  of  Boston,  a  man  of  excellent  edu- 
cation and  an  expert  surveyor.  In  1745  Morris  took  part 
in  the  expedition  against  Louisburg,  and  after  the  surrender 
of  that  fortress  remained  in  Nova  Scotia  where  he  was  em- 
ployed as  surveyor,  becoming  surveyor-general  of  the  prov- 
ince in  1749.  He  was  made  a  member  of  the  privy  council 
in  1755,  and  eventually  became  Chief  Justice  of  Nova 
Scotia.^  He  died  in  1781.  Living  thus  at  a  distance,  the 
sale  of  the  Morris  land  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  agent, 
Thomas  Legate,  of  Leominster,  who  also  sold  for  others 
of  the  Read  heirs. 

The  problem  of  the  first  settlers  on  this  division  has 
been  extremely  difficult,  for  several  reasons.  In  the  early  days 
lots  were  sold  or  leased  by  the  plan  of  the  Manour  as  a 

1  From  a  sketch  by  Chas.  J.  Mclntire. 


272  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

whole,  but  in  November,  1780,  a  new  plan  of  the  Morris 
Division  was  made  by  Nathaniel  and  Justice  Dwight,  sur- 
veyors. No  copy  of  the  plan  has  been  found,  and  to  recon- 
struct it  from  the  scanty  materials  at  hand  has  not  been 
possible.  A  chief  difficulty  has  been  with  the  "south  end 
lots,"  the  lines  of  which  are  extremely  irregular,  the  river, 
as  a  natural  boundary,  and  the  highways  as  well,  often  being 
substituted  for  straight  lines  such  as  have  guided  us  in  other 
parts  of  the  Manour.  Many  lots  are  described  as  regular  in 
shape,  160  by  100  rods;  but  some  run  north  and  south, 
others  east  and  west.  A  second  difficulty  lies  in  the  fact 
that  much  of  the  Morris  land  was  the  object  of  speculation, 
changing  ownership  half  a  dozen  times  before  occupied  by 
the  owner,  while  at  the  same  time  it  had  been  settled  and 
held  as  rented  or  leased  property  for  many  years.  In  selling 
a  lot  an  abutter  is  sometimes  named  who  lived  upon  the 
land  without  owning  it,  and  who  is  named  upon  another 
portion  of  the  tract  a  few  years  later.  Furthermore,  deeds 
of  land  within  this  tract  seem  even  more  vague  than  was 
usual  at  that  period. 

49.  60  a.  Sold  by  Legate  to  Lot  Dean  in  1797.  This  was 
the  north  half  of  the  Downing  lot.  In  1812  John  Gore  of 
Boston  sells  the  same  to  Jesse  Lewis. 

50.  6034  a.  Sold  by  Legate  as  agent  to  John  Downing  in 
1781.  Downing  had  occupied  the  entire  lot  for  nearly  30 
years.  He  came  to  Ware  from  Springfield  in  1752.  On 
this  lot  stood  the  famous  Downing  Tavern.  Downing  also 
owned  land  outside  the  Manour  in  the  meadows  south-east 
of  this  lot. 

51.  The  half-lot  of  50  acres  given  in  1762  by  the  Read 
heirs  to  Rev.  Ezra  Thayer  as  a  "settlement."  Three  and  one 
half  acres  in  the  north-west  corner  were  reserved  for  the 
meeting-house  and  burial  place.  Ezra  sold  this  lot  to 
Solomon  Cummings  in  1765  for  £42,  but  Cummings 
probably  never  lived  upon  it.  It  later  became  part  of 
the  estate  of  Ebenezer  Nye,  the  famous  inn-holder  at  the 
Centre. 

52.  The  half  lot  of  50  acres  given  by  the  Read  heirs  to 
Grindall  Rawson  in  1751  as  an  inducement  to  settle  in  the 
ministry  of  the  parish.  Rawson  sold  to  Thomas  Andrews 
in  1759. 


THE   MAP  27.'} 

53.  100  a.  Sold  by  Legate  to  Ebenezer  Gould  in  1782.  It 
was  then  known  as  the  Ayers  lot. 

54.  The  Glebe,  or  Ministry  Lot  of  1767,  the  history  of 
which  has  been  told.  At  a  much  later  date  part  was  owm-d 
by  Dr.  Rufus  King  who  came  from  Brookfield  in  178!). 
His  home,  no  longer  standing,  was  north  of  the  road,  where 
Mr.  Quirk's  house  now  stands.  Part  of  the  lot  was  owned 
by  Rev.  Reuben  Moss.  His  house  stands  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  road  from  the  meeting-house  a  little  further 
west,  and  is  now  occupied  by  Edmund  E.  Moore. 

55.  52  a.   Sold  to  Isaac  Pepper  in  1793. 

56.  Described  as  100  acres,  though  the  dimensions  indi- 
cate about  120.  Sold  by  Legate  to  William  Paige,  Jr.,  in 
1805.  At  this  time  the  abutters  on  the  east  are  Dr.  Rufus 
King,  Reuben  Moss  and  Enos  Davis. 

57.  43  a.  Dr.  Rufus  King  bought  in  1806,  it  being  "part 
of  the  lot  that  Lt.  John  Hamilton  now  lives  on."  The  north- 
east corner  above  the  road,  103/2  acres,  had  been  sold  to 
Ezra  Thayer,  whose  homestead  adjoined,  in  1771. 

58.  200  a.  Daniel  Gould  bought  the  lower  half  in  1775. 
This  was  known  as  the  Paddock  Lot.  The  northern  half  he 
bought  in  1799. 

59.  100  a.  Legate  sold  to  his  son  in  1805,  and  Legate,  Jr., 
to  Samuel  Brown  in  the  same  year.  The  lot  was  previously 
in  possession  of  Benjamin  McMichel.  Brown  did  not  live 
here,  but  according  to  tradition  raised  great  crops  of  rye 
on  the  land. 

60.  100  a.  William  Bowdoin  and  Aaron  Andrews  bought 
this  lot  of  Legate  in  1807.  It  became  the  Bowdoin  home- 
stead, and  William  Bowdoin  lived  here  until  his  death. 
William  Bowdoin  was  the  founder  of  one  of  the  important 
families  of  the  town.  He  was  brought  here  in  infancy 
about  1762.  "He  is  supposed  ^  to  have  been  a  natural  son 
of  a  brother  of  Gov.  Bowdoin,  whose  name  he  bore.  He 
was  raised  in  the  family  of  Samuel  Bush,  near  Marsh's 
mills,  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools,  and 
having  a  taste  for  reading,  and  a  tact  for  business,  he  ac- 
quired a  character  and  influence  no  other  man  ever  gained 
in  this  town.  He  was  chosen  town  clerk  in  1789,  and  held  the 
office  for  twenty-two  years  in  succession.  He  was  again 
elected  in  1830,  and  held  office  until  his  death,  Sept.  23, 
1831.    He  represented  the  town  eleven  years  in  the  Legis- 

»  Hyde's  "Historical  Address." 


274  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

latuie,  being  the  only  one  chosen  from  1795  to  1812,  and 
was  a  delegate  to  the  Convention  for  revising  the  Consti- 
tution in  1820.  In  1801,  he  was  elected  a  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  did  most  of  the  business  of  that  nature,  in  this  town,  for 
nearly  thirty  years.  He  wrote  a  very  plain,  legible  hand,  and 
the  perfect  state  of  the  Town  Records  is  owing  very  much 
to  his  care.  He  transcribed  the  records  of  the  births,  deaths 
and  marriages,  by  vote  of  the  town,  in  1789,  which  are  very 
complete  of  some  of  the  earlier  families.  He  was  twice 
married,  and  had  fourteen  children."  The  farm  on  which 
he  made  his  home  had  been  known  as  the  Stamping  Lot. 

61-66.  These  lots  were  bought  and  sold  many  times  by 
land  speculators,  the  boundaries  changing  with  every  sale. 
Parts  were  sold  more  than  once  by  the  same  man,  the  condi- 
tions of  the  sale  evidently  not  having  been  met  by  the  pur- 
chaser. 

61.  Bought  by  Jesse  Lewis  of  Legate,  Jr.,  in  1805. 

62.  100  a.  In  1781  Charles  and  Mary  Morris  by  their 
attorney  sold  this  lot  to  Thomas  McClintock  and  Thomas 
McClintock,  Jr.,  and  it  became  known  as  the  McClintock 
lot.  It  returned  however  to  its  original  owners,  and  Legate 
the  agent  sold  to  John  Hamilton  in  1800,  Hamilton  to 
Richard  Lewis  in  1801,  Lewis  to  Prince  Andrews  in  1807, 
Andrews  to  Jesse  Lewis,  and  finally  it  became  part  of  the 
John  Bowdoin  farm  now  occupied  by  Henry  B.  Anderson. 

63.  Owned  at  an  early  date  by  Richard  Lewis.  The  his- 
tory of  the  lot  is  similar  to  that  of  62. 

64.  75  a.  Legate  sold  to  Joshua  Crowell  of  Brookfield  in 
1792.  Later  it  came  into  the  possession  of  Enos  Davis,  now 
the  Gould  farm  west  of  the  village. 

65.  The  original  sales  are  diflScult  to  trace.  Was  in  part 
the  Pepper  farm,  Esther  Pepper  owning  it  in  1807. 

66.  100  a.  Legate  sold  to  John  Hamilton  in  1800.  The 
lot  was  previously  occupied  by  Ephraim  Paddock.  Ham- 
ilton sold  to  Jesse  Lewis  in  1801. 

The  long,  narrow  strip  south  of  65  and  66,  and  south  of 
the  river,  consisting  of  39  acres,  was  sold  to  Isaac  Magoon  in 
1771.  It  is  described  as  "Being  part  of  the  lot  originally 
leased  by  John  Read  to  the  s^  Isaac's  Grandfather,  Mr. 
Isaac  Magoon." 

67.  100  a.  Legate  sold  to  Prince  and  Aaron  Andrews  in 
1807.  Amariah  Crain  lived  on  part  of  this  lot.  He  after- 
wards moved  to  the  east  part  of  the  town. 


THE  MAP  275 

68.  The  site  of  the  historic  Rogers  inn.  Jonathan  Rogers 
bought  of  Charles  and  Mary  Morris  in  1770,  having  i)re- 
viously  occupied  the  land.  The  upper  half  he  gave  to  his 
son,  Thomas  Rogers.  The  lower  half  he  left  by  will  to  his 
daughters  and  his  son  Jonathan,  who  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness after  their  father's  death,  which  occurred  in  1784. 

69.  100  a.  The  south  portion,  60  acres,  went  to  Joel 
Stacey  in  1803.  The  northern  part,  40  acres,  went  to  Elijah 
Winslow  at  the  same  date. 

70.  Described  in  1806  as  belonging  to  James  Lamberton 
and  Seth  and  Solomon  Brown. 

71.  83  a.  In  shape  like  the  letter  K.  Legate,  Jr.,  sold  to 
Robert  Smith  of  Palmer  in  1806.  Smith  made  his  home  on 
the  lot. 

72.  100  a.  Legate  sold  to  Daniel  Shaw  in  1771.  In  1790, 
Erwin  Shaw,  a  brother  of  Daniel,  sells  this  lot  together 
with  the  adjoining  half  of  69,  to  James  and  Seth  Lamberton. 
It  has  remained  in  the  Lamberton  family  to  the  present 
time. 

73.  100  a.    Legate  sold  to  Richard  Roggers  in  1771. 

74.  29  a.  Legate,  Jr.,  sold  to  Levi  Stevens  of  Palmer  in 
1806.    Stevens  previously  occupied  the  land. 

75.  40  a.  Timothy  Paige  of  Hardwick  bought  in  1771. 
This  with  part  6i  67  went  to  John  Shaw,  2nd,  in  1806.  The 
gore  to  the  westward  was  sold  to  Aaron  Andrews  in  1805. 

The  original  grantees  of  the  Marsh  Tract  settled  among 
themselves  the  division  of  the  land.  The  lines  of  these 
divisions  can  be  only  approximately  determined.  The 
whole  tract  in  the  earliest  times  was  described  as  "a  place 
called  Muddy  Brook,  between  Hardwick  and  Kingston," 

A.  This  section  of  206  acres  was  set  off  to  Jonathan  Rood 
"for  his  share  of  the  original  grant."  Rood  in  1741  sold 
20  acres  in  the  south-west  corner  to  Paul  Thurston  of  Rut- 
land. The  remainder  of  the  tract  he  had  sold  in  1740  to 
Jonathan  Hunt  of  Northampton.  Rood  appears  to  have 
lived  on  the  land  for  a  time.  On  the  same  day  that  Rood 
sold  the  20  acres  to  Thurston,  Hunt  sells  his  186  acres  to 
Thurston.  In  1745  Thurston  sells  the  whole,  206  acres,  to 
Edward  Damon  of  Brookfield,  "Physitian."  ^  Dr.  Damon 
was  undoubtedly  the  first  physician  to  settle  in  town.  He 
is  believed  to  have  come  from  Reading,  Conn.,  to  Brook- 


276  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

field,  and  soon  after  to  Ware.     The  births  of  his  children 
begin  in  the  Ware  records  in  1735. 

B.  A  section  of  about  200  acres,  John  Clemmons's  share 
of  the  grant.  In  1741  he  sold  the  tract  to  Joseph  Simons, 
cordwainer,  who  came  here  from  Killingly,  Conn.  Simons 
and  his  descendants  lived  on  the  tract  many  years.  The 
land  extending  south  from  John  Clemmons  to  Kingston, 
and  lying  between  Dr.  Damon  and  Muddy  Brook  belonged 
in  1745  part  to  William  Clemmons,  and  part  to  Thomas 
Marsh,  as  we  learn  from  the  abutters  named  in  Dr.  Damon's 
deed. 

C.  71  a.  We  find  Benjamin  Simons  of  Fort  Massachu- 
setts selling  this  lot  to  Maverick  Smith  of  Reading  in  1758. 
Col.  Benjamin  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Simons,  and  was  one 
of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Massachusetts  [Williamstown].  The 
land  at  this  time  is  bounded  easterly  by  Muddy  Brook  and 
Capt.  Joseph  How's  land,  north  and  south  by  How's  land, 
west  on  Dr.  Damon.  Joseph  Simons  had  given  the  tract 
to  his  son  Benjamin  in  1748. 

D.  John  How  in  1764  sells  18  acres  "the  north  part  of 
the  lot  now  in  possession  of  Nehemiah  Thomas"  to  Maverick 
Smith.  Thomas  owned  or  occupied  the  remainder.  This 
appears  to  have  been  part  of  Thomas  Marsh's  original 
division. 

Thomas  Marsh,  so  far  as  documentary  evidence  shows  the 
situation,  was  the  first  settler  on  any  portion  of  the  Town 
of  Ware.  He  was  here  before  1727,  for  in  that  year  he 
pledges  his  house,  barn,  crops  of  corn,  flax,  buckwheat,  etc., 
to  Stephen  Griffeths  of  Lambstown  and  John  Buttler  of 
Stonington,  Connecticut,  as  surety  that  Ruth  Marsh  his 
daughter  shall  make  her  personal  appearance  at  Springfield, 
"and  abides  the  order  and  sentence  of  s*^  Court,  upon  a  com- 
plaint of  Mary  demons  dwelling  on  y  Country  Land 
afores'*." 

Thomas  was  probably  one  of  five  brothers  who  settled  on 
the  land,  —  Thomas,  Ephraim,  Judah,  Samuel  and  Joseph. 
Whether  all  came  at  the  same  time  or  not  cannot  be  deter- 
mined. Mr.  Hyde  says  that  Judah  came  from  Hatfield,  or 
Hadley,  in  1730.  Thomas  made  his  will  in  1742,  in  which  he 
describes  himself  as  "living  at  a  place  called  Muddy  Brook." 
He  signed  the  will  with  his  own  hand.    In  it  he  mentions  by 


THE  MAP  277 

name  nine  children,  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  One  son 
is  described  as  "distracted."  He  left  all  his  real  estate  to 
his  son  Joseph. 

E.  60  a.  Part  of  Thomas's  original  tract.  Sold  in  1707 
by  Joseph  Marsh,  son  of  Thomas,  to  Maverick  SiniUi. 
^  F.  75  a.  The  north  part  of  Thomas's  original  tract. 
Sold  by  Joseph  to  Judah,  on  whose  land  it  bordered,  in 
1767.  Forty  years  later  this  was  owned  by  Jonathan 
Marsh,  a  son  of  Judah. 

G.  Judah  Marsh's  Mill-lot,  and  part  of  his  original  grant. 
It  descended  to  his  son  Judah,  who  died  in  1817,  leaving 
about  70  acres  with  mills,  buildings,  etc. 

H.  100  a.  Part  of  Judah  Marsh's  grant.  Thomas,  son 
of  Judah,  sold  to  Ephraim  Mclntier  of  Greenwich  in  1806. 

I.  Part  of  Judah's  grant.  Owned  or  occupied  by  Ben- 
jamin Raymond  in  1775. 

J.  50  a.    Sold  by  Judah  Marsh  to  John  Raymond  in  1775. 

K.  120  a.  Part  of  Samuel  Marsh's  original  grant,  and 
sold  by  him  to  Jeremiah  Anderson  in  1739.  Jeremiah,  the 
founder  of  the  Anderson  family  in  Ware,  was  a  native  of 
Ireland.  He  had  a  large  family  of  eleven  children.  The 
Anderson  and  Snell  families  furnished  musicians  to  the  town 
for  generations. 

L.  20  a.  Samuel  Marsh  sold  to  Thomas  Dunsmore  in 
1739. 

M.  In  this  section  there  w^as  a  100  acre  lot  belonging  orig- 
inally to  Ephraim  Marsh,  also  a  tract,  probably  100  acres, 
belonging  originally  to  Joseph. 

Thus  the  original  possessions  of  the  five  Marsh  brothers 
are  accounted  for.  A  few  acres  of  this  section  [M]  belonged  to 
Judah,  and  the  eastern  part  to  Samuel.  One  hundred  and 
fifteen  acres  of  this  section  came  into  the  possession  of 
Caleb  Wetherbee  of  Southborough,  being  parts  of  the  orig- 
inal grants  of  Joseph,  Ephraim  and  Judah.  Wetherbee  in 
1754  sold  the  western  half  of  his  possession  to  Joseph  Ruggles 
of  Hardwick,  and  Ruggles  in  1766  sells  the  same  again  to 
Judah  Marsh. 

The  remaining  portion  of  the  Town  of  Ware  was  actually 
a  part  of  Kingston,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  Hollings- 
worth  Grant,  the  land  belonged  to  the  Elbow  Proprietors. 


278  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

Mr.  Gilbert,  in  his  "Early  Grants,"  has  worked  out  from 
the  Proprietors'  Records  the  location  of  the  several  owners 
on  this  section  which  was  known  as  "the  north-end  addi- 
tion," and  his  lines  are  followed  in  making  the  map  for  this 
work. 

A  few  matters  may  require  a  word  of  explanation. 

Jeremiah  Omstead  was  the  oldest  son  of  Jabez.  He  took 
up  land  adjoining  his  father's  farm,  probably  in  1729  or  30. 
The  farm  was  confirmed  to  him  by  action  of  the  General 
Court  in  1733.  The  rest  of  the  north-end  addition  was 
divided  among  the  Elbow  Proprietors  by  drawings  held 
from  time  to  time.  Many  of  the  drawings  were  sold,  as  the 
Proprietors  already  had  their  homes  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  plantation. 

Jeremiah  Omstead  sold  his  farm  of  100  acres  to  Noah 
Colton  in  1738.  Colton  in  1740  sold  the  same  to  John 
Post,  who  in  1744  sold  to  Alexander  Mack  Neill.  Jabez 
Omstead  in  1733  sells  74  acres  at  the  south-west  corner  of 
his  farm  to  Obadiah  Wood.  In  1752  he  sells  15  acres  north 
of  the  above  to  John  Downing.  In  the  same  year,  1752, 
Downing  bought  of  Timothy  Brown  36  acres  lying  between 
Omstead's  farm  and  the  Manour.  In  1743  Jabez,  "in  con- 
sideration of  the  tender  respect  I  bear  unto  my  loving  son 
Israel  Omstead,"  gives  him  943^  acres  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river,  "beginning  at  the  end  of  the  bridge  below  the  mill." 
In  1746  Jabez  likewise  gives  to  his  "loving  son  Israel  Om- 
stead "  144  acres,  it  being  the  north-east  corner  of  the  500 
acre  tract.  The  remainder  of  the  farm  was  sold  by  Omstead's 
heirs  to  Isaac  Magoon,  from  whom  it  passed  to  his  son 
Alexander  in  1765,  and  the  mills  were  known  for  more  than 
a  generation  as  the  Magoon  Mills.  The  property  passed  to 
Alpheus  Demond,  Esq.,  and  Col.  Thomas  Denny  in  1813. 

It  has  been  already  stated  that  the  Elbow  Proprietors 
donated  to  the  Hon.  Ebenezer  Burrill,  Samuel  Bradford  and 
John  Alden  100  acres  each  for  their  services  as  agents  of  the 
General  Court  in  1733.  Bradford's  tract  was  surveyed  by 
Steward  Southgate  in  January,  1739-40  "in  the  nor  west 
corner  of  the  north  end  addition.  Butting  west  on  the  line 
of  Mr.  Read's  Land  72  rods  and  three  fourths  and  bounding 
north  on  the  end  line  of  the  Elbow  Tract  220  rods."    The 


THE   MAP  271) 

south-east  corner  is  said  to  be  "on  Ross's  Plain  about  20 
Rod  southward  from  Ross's  Den,"  whatever  tiiat  nuiy  he. 
Burrill  received  a  lozenge-shaped  lot  lying  "on  each  side  of 
Muddy  Brook." 

No  record  of  sale  of  either  of  these  lots  has  been  found, 
and  in  a  later  drawing  of  common  lands,  they  would  ap- 
pear to  have  fallen  to  John  Kilburn. 

John  Alden  of  Duxborough,  however,  in  1737  sells  to  Rob- 
ert Stanford  150  acres,  "part  of  the  300  acres  of  land  granted 
to  Ebenezer  Burrell  Esq'  Mr.  Samuel  Bradford  and  myself 
at  a  meeting  of  y«  Proprietors  of  y  Common  and  Undi- 
vided Lands  in  ye  s**  Elbow  Tract,  upon  y«  second  Day 
of  June,  1735."  It  is  worth  noting  that  this  deed  was  drawn 
nearly  two  years  before  the  lands  of  Burrill  and  Bradford 
were  surveyed.  Stanford  in  1739  sells  the  same  to  John 
Robinson,  clerk,  of  Duxborough,  and  in  1753  John  Robin- 
son, son  of  Rev.  John  Robinson,  quit-claims  to  Ichabod 
Robinson,  his  brother,  "his  interest  in  a  tract  in  the  Town- 
ship of  Kingston  in  the  County  of  Hampshire."  Here  the 
whole  thing  vanishes. 

Robert  Roggers  of  Kingston  in  1746  sells  the  50  acres 
lying  east  of  the  Manour  to  William  Breakenridge.  It  is 
described  as  lying  in  "Way  River  Parish." 

The  Steward  Southgate  lot  at  the  south-east  corner  of 
the  Manour  was  sold  to  Jacob  Cummings  in  1740.  Southgate 
had  probably  the  best  education  of  any  man  of  his  time  in 
the  plantation,  being  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College.  Be- 
sides being  a  skilled  surveyor,  he  was  for  years  Proprietor's 
Clerk  of  the  Elbow  Tract. 

Jacob  Cummings,  the  founder  of  the  Cummings  family  in 
Ware,  came  from  Killingly,  Connecticut.  He  was  for  years 
one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  Precinct.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  deacons  of  the  church,  was  moderator  of  the  first 
meeting  of  the  parish,  one  of  the  committee  of  the  Precinct 
when  the  town  was  incorporated  in  17C2,  one  of  the  first 
board  of  selectmen,  and  town  treasurer.  He  had  five 
sons,  all  of  whom  were  prominent  in  the  afi'airs  of  the 
town. 

Phille  Morse  came  from  Sharon  soon  after  the  town  was 
incorporated.    His  farm  extended  from  the  river  opposite 


280  HISTORY  OF  WARE 

the  East  Street  bridge  up  the  slopes  of  Coy's  Hill,  including 
the  John  Blackmer  drawing  of  1746. 

Besides  the  larger  grants  and  drawings  there  were  scattered 
through  the  town  numbers  of  small  remnants  of  land  that 
failed  of  being  included  in  the  larger  surveys.  These  were 
still  the  property  of  the  old  Proprietors,  and  were  laid  out  to 
different  persons  by  the  Selectmen  of  Palmer  as  late  as  1812. 
The  following  is  one  of  the  latest: 

Nov.  25,  1812, 

Surveyed  and  laid  out  to  Calvin  Morse  one  acre  and  one 
hundred  rods  of  the  common  and  undivided  lands  of  the 
Proprietors  of  Palmer  on  the  right  originally  granted  to 
James  Mclwain, 

Boundaries  follow,  showing  that  the  land  was  on  the  river 
bank  adjoining  Morse's  farm,  "on  the  north  side  of  the 
road  leading  from  Ware  to  Brookfield." 

Other  small  parcels  are  described  as  part  of  the  undi- 
vided lands,  or  a  portion  of  some  man's  "original  right" 
which  had  been  allowed  to  lapse.  Indebtedness  for  services 
rendered  the  Town  of  Palmer  were  sometimes  paid  by  a 
grant,  —  sure  to  create  confusion  at  a  later  time.  For 
example, 

Palmer,  September  y«  2,  1794. 

Sold  to  Thomas  Quinten  as  much  land  at  6  s.  p'  acor  as 
to  pay  £2„  5s. 


SUMMARY 

Earliest  Recorded  Survey 1714 

Earliest  Settlement  (about) 1725 

Ware  a  Parish  and  Precinct Dec.    7,  1742 

Incorporated  as  a  District Nov.  28,  1761 

A  Town,  with  Right  of  Representation  in 

General  Court Aug.  23,  1775 


INDEX 


INDEX 

Note:  The  names  of  Civil  War  Veterans,  being  given  alphabetically  in  the  text,  aro 
not  included  in  the  index. 


Adams,  John,  22,  228 
Agreement,  Read  heirs,  31 
Alden,  John,  40,  278 

Oliver,  144 
Alden's  Memorabilia,  79 
Alesworth,  Rev.  Mr.,  98 
All  Saints'  Church,  190 
Allen,  Ebenezer,  134 

Enos,  30,  268 

John,  134,  135 

Mary,  82 

Samuel,  59 

Waters,  158 

W.  I.,  198,  199 
Allin,  Daniel,  66 
Amidown,  Ithamar,  137 
Amsdan,  Noah,  141,  144 
Anderson,  Amasa,  235 

Henry,  274 

Jeremiah,  6,  66,  174,  277 

John,  59 

Wm.,  143,  256,  269 
Andrews,  Aaron,  175,  273,  274,  275 

John,  144,  145,  160,  175 

Lemuel,  187 

Noah,  145 

Prince,  274 

Samuel,  141,  142,  149 

Thomas,  80,  141.  142, 144,  159,  272 
Appleton,  Samuel,  14 
Aspen  Grove,  196 
Assessors'  Lists,  old,  246-249 
Atwell,  Rev.  B.  W.,  193 
Augers,  225 
Auger  shops,  8 
Ayers,  Edward,  59.  62,  67,  75,  81 

Eli,  159 

Ephraim,  80,  137 

Jedidiah,  80,  82,  137 

Jemima,  81 

Joseph,  66 


Babcock,  Archibald,  119 
Babcock  tavern,  117,  119,  167 

Timothy,  119 
Bacon,  Simeon.  134.  130,  146 
Bacon  St.,  169 
Bailey,  Stephen  P.,  8 
Baker,  Thomas,  167 
Baldwin,  Rev.  Moses,  101 
Banister,  Rev.  Seth,  110 
Banks,  245 
Baptist,  Free-will,  187;  meeting-house, 

188;  society.  111,  187 
Bardwell,  Capt.  Jonathan,  141,  142 
Barnard,  Capt.  Salah,  136,  137 
Bartlett,  Benj.,  30,  134,  241,  2GG 

David,  134 

Homer,  56 

Moses,  133 

Philip,  147 
Bassett,  Rev.  A.  B.,  185 
Baxter,  Ezekiel,  107 
Bay  Path,  5,  22,  161,  162,  167 
Bay  Road,  167,  170 
Bears,  John,  158 
Beaver  Brook,  3,  36 

Lake,  4,  29 
Belcher,  Jonathan,'  14,  17,  18 
BeU,  Wm.,  138 
Bellows,  E.  H.,  180 
Billings,  D.  P.,  233 

Dr.,  241 

Elkanah,  141,  142,  143,  146.  149 
Blackmer,  John,  279 

Lemuel,  140 

Samuel,  138,  141,  173 

Solomon,  137 

Wm.,  61,  63,  135,  141,  142, 143,  268 
Blackmore,  Holton,  147 

Lammon,  134 
Blair,  Samuel,  266 
Bleokinsop,  Rev.  Wm..  190 


284 


INDEX 


Bliss,  Luke,  134 
Blodgett,  Joseph,  102 
Blood,  C.  E.,  iU 

H.  S.,  Hi 
Board  of  ministers,  82 
Bolton,  Dr.,  Elias,  241 
Bond,  Nelson  F.,  198,  199 
Bond's  Hill,  3 
Bonney,  Chas.,  141,  266 
Boots  and  shoes,  224 
Boucher,  Rev.  Chas.,  192 
Boundary  changes,  52;   disputes,  12 
Bounds  of  parish,  66 
Bowdoin,  John,  274 

Wm.,  56,  235,  273 
Bowen,  Sylvester,  7;  petition  of,  56,  57 
Bowers,  Rev.  Benj.,  70 
Bowman,  Joseph,  245 
Boyle,  Rev.  James,  191 
Bradford,  Samuel,  40,  278 
Brattle,  Wm.,  14,  17,  19 
Breck,  Rev.  Robert,  70 
Breckenridge,  Allender,  8,  158,  159,  237 

Capt.,  95,  139,  145,  146 

Geo.,  Ill,  143,  228,  269 

James,  61,  156,  158,  227,  235.  268, 
269 

Wm.,  133,  138,  143,  144,  147,  148, 
151,  159,  227,  267-270,  279 

W.  L.,  8 
Brewer,  Col.  David,  141,  142 
Brick  yard,  9,  10 
Bridges,  Daniel,  144 

Ware  River,  164, 165,  170, 171,  174, 
176 
Briggs,  Rev.  Mr.,  98 
Brimstone  Hill,  3,  11 
Brooks,  29 

Adonijah,  136 

Joseph,  23,  24,  39,  59,  61 

Mary,  82 

Meriam,  82 
Brown,  Barnard,  157 

Daniel,  269 

David,  94,  96,  146 

James,  268 

Luther,  198 

Moses,  95,  227 

Rev.  Wm.,  187 

Robert,  169 

Ruth,  49 

Samuel,  228,  273 

Seth,  274 


Solomon,  274 

Thomas,  157 

Timothy,  49;     memorial   of,  132; 
petition,  64,  65 

Wm.  Key,  149 
Bull's  Ford,  11 

Run,  11 
Bullard,  Rev.  J.  A.,  188 
Bullen,  Capt.,  94 

John,  118,  141,  143,  149,  268 

Lieut.,  228 
Bullon's  Corners,  11,  264 
Burke,  Capt.  John,  136 

Richard,  163,  169 

Susanna,  82 

TeHe,  136 

Wait,  82 
Burr,  Peter,  14,  15,  18,  19 
Burrill,  Alexander,  278 

Ebenezer,  40 
Burt,  Rev.  Ebenezer,  187 
Bush,  Samuel,  273 

Solomon,  111,  146 

Uriah,  241 

Widow,  30 

Camp,  Samuel,  145 

Capen,  Edmund,  142,  143,  149,  268 

James,  270 
Capron,  R.  E.,  244 
Cargill,  James,  118,  158 
Carley,  Job,  59,  82,  263 

Jonathan,  145,  263 

Patience,  82 
Cary,  Rev.  Henry,  63 
Caswall,  John,  14,  17 
Cemeteries,  194 
Census  of  1764,  138 
Chamble,  Rev.  John,  70 
Chapin,  Rev.  Mr.,  92 

Thomas,  59,  75 
Checkly,  John,  34 
Chicken's  Farm,  22 
Chicopee  River,  5 
Choristers,  111 

Church  discipline,  98,  99,  103 
Church  records,  destruction  of,  79,  81 
Church  St.,  175 
Chute,  Rev.  Ariel  P.,  110 

Rev.  Edward  L.,  110 
Civil  War,  197;   resolutions,  199 
Clark,  Avery,  224,  233,  237 

Ebenezer,  141,  142 


INDEX 


285 


Hannah,  23 

Samuel,  228 

Wm.,  14,  17,  18 
Clarke,  Jonas,  46-48 

Thomas,  45,  48;  deed,  46 
Cleland,  Samuel,  227 
Clemmons,  John,  42,  275 

Mary,  276 

Wm.,  42,  275 
Clopford,  Wm.,  266 
Coburn,  Rev.  David  N.,  110;   hist,  ad- 
dress, 85,  98 
Cole,  Cyrus,  158 
Collins,  Rev.  Daniel,  93 
Colonel's  Mountain,  5 
Colonial  Wars,  131 
Colton,  Moses,  144 

Noah,  39,  278 

Rev.  T.  S.,  184 
Commission  on  squatters,  38,  39 
Committee  of  precinct,  249 
Commodities,  prices,  92,  256 
Common,  10,  176 
Coney,  Daniel,  55 

Oliver,  149,  150,  160 
Confession  of  faith,  78 
Congress,  provincial,  139,  140 
Conn,  and  Mass.  boundary,  12 
Connon,  John,  144 
Convention,  Hadley,  153 

Hatfield,  153 
Converse,  Phineas,  147,  158 
Cooke,  Rev.  Parsons,  179,  182 
Corners,  Bullon's,  11,  264 
Cotton,  Rev.  Mr.,  79 
Council,  expenses,  70 
Country  pay,  127 
Cowles,  Julius,  9 
Coy's  Hill,  3,  163,  168 
Croft,  John,  141,  143 
Crosby,  Rev.  Mr.,  97 
Cross,  Daniel,  134 

Experience,  136 
Crowell,  Joshua,  118,  129,  188, 189,  234, 

274 
Crowfoot,  Thomas,  30,  135,  268 
Cummings,  Abraham,  96,  134,  135,  138, 
140,  143,  160 
Benj.,  119,  134,  138,  174 
Ebenezer,  136 
Elijah,  149,  268 
Isaac,  134,  135,  268 
Israel,  138 


Jacob.  59,  01.  62,  CO,  70,  74.  76,  82. 
85.  133.  136.  138.  173.  260,  270 

Jacob.  Jr..  59.  82.  133 

James.  59.  149 

John,  9 

Joseph,  119.  123.  141.  143,  144.  146, 
158.  160.  228.  229 

Joseph.  Jr..  50 

Lieut.,  153 

Nathan,  137 

Rachel,  82 

Simeon,  158.  227,  269 

Solomon,  130,  138,  272 
Currency  and  finance,  126.  127 
Cutter,  Eben,  158 

Submit,  270 

Wm.,  270 

Dalrymple.  Capt.  Andrew.  135 
Damon,  Abel,  158 

Abraham,  143 

Benj.,  173 

Dr.  Edward,  85,  143,  240.  275 

Edward,  Jr.,  146 

James,  Jr.,  141 

Stephen,  146 

Thomas,  143 
Danforth,  Capt.  Jonathan.  142 
Danielson,  Col.  Timothy,  142 
Davenport,  Addington,  14,  17,  18 

Rev.  Mr.,  92 
Davidson,  Phineas,  265 
Davis,  Abijah.  95,  138,  141,  142 

Benjamin,  157 

Capt.  Israel,  144 

Deborah,  82 

Eben'r,  30,  82,  144,  145,  148,  267 

Enos,  109,  273,  274 

John,  30,  63,  74,  76,  82, 136, 138.264 

Josiah,  141,  142 

Martha,  82 

Nahum,  59,  141,  142,  173 

Nathan,  141,  142,  147 

Samuel,  59,  61,  62,  173 
Dean,  Lot,  119,  123,  143,  146,  272 

Silas,  146 
Debating  Soc,  235 
Debt,  public,  155 
Delavan  House,  121 
Demond,  Alpheus,  56,  120.  196,  219 

Lorenzo,  224 
Denny,  Col.  Thomas,  219 
Devens,  A.  L.,  235 


286 


INDEX 


Dickson,  Rev.  Mr.,  63 
Dike,  Col.,  143 
Dividing  Line,  £62 
Dixon,  Rev.  Wm.  E.,  110 
Doane,  Wm.,  119 
Doolitel,  Samuell,  28 
Dow,  James,  264 

Moses,  143 
Downing,  John,  116,  134,  138,  167,  272, 

278 
Draper,  George,  190 
Dudley,  Paul,  14,  17,  18,  19 
Duffield,  Rev.  C.  W.,  193 
Dummer,  Jeremiah,  14,  17 

Wm.,  14,  17,  19 
Dunsmore,  Samuel,  54,  133,  138,  146, 
150,  227 

Thomas,  6,  277 
Dutch,  Caroline,  230 
Dwight,  Capt.  Elijah,  146 

Henry,  23,  24,  30,  264 

Justice,  271 

Nath'l,  66,  168,  271 

Pres.,  diary,  121 

East  parish,  177;  incorporation,  180; 
meeting-house,  180-182;  remod- 
elled, 184;   shareholders,  181 

Eaton,  Darius,  158 

Ecclesiastical  Council,  96,  97 

Eddy,  Geo.,  224 
Titus,  188 

Elbow  tract,  5;  Propr's  memorial,  61 

Elger,  Abner,  136 

Ely,  Rev.  Alfred,  182 

Equipment  of  militia,  159 

Equivalent  lands,  14;  Propr's  records, 
17-19;   quitclaim,  15,  16 

Evens,  Barnabus,  141,  142,  144,  145 
Edmund,  144 
Timothy,  141,  142 

Factory  village,  177 
Fairbank,  John  B.,  224 
Fairbanks,  Luther,  198 
Fairfield,  Capt.  Samuel,  147 
Fallon,  Rev.  John  J.,  192 
Falls  Fight,  20 
Fally,  Anna,  82 
Fellows,  Col.  John,  142 
Finance  and  currency,  126,  127 
Fine,  petition  on,  150-153 
Fishing  weirs,  4 


Fisk,  Gordon,  243 

G.  N.,  242 
Fitch,  Thomas,  14,  17,  18 
Flat  Brook,  3 
Floods,  175,  176 
Foot,  Rev.  John,  102 
Foote,  Lt.  Col.  Enos,  159 
Forbush,  Rev.  Eli,  84 
Ford-way,  6,  11,  168 
Foster,  Asa,  147 

Jonathan,  144,  159,  227,  268 

Joseph,   114,   138,    139,    141,    143, 
146,   147,  269,  270,  271 

Rev.  Daniel,  101 
Francis,  Thomas  H.,  189 
Freight  transportation,  122 
French  and  Indian  Wars,  131-138 
Fuller,  Rev.  Geo.  E.,  188 
Fulling  mill,  9 
Fullonder,  Solomon,  149 
Fulton,  Rev.  J.  W.,  189 
Furnace,  7 

bridge,  176 
Fux,  Rev.  Jos.,  192 

Gagnier,  Rev.  L.  G.,  192 
Gale,  Rev.  Amory,  188 

Rev.  Nahum,  184 
Gardner,  John,  111,  160,  235 
Gates,  Maj.  Gen.,  144 
Gay,  Rev.  Eben'r,  78 
George  H.  Gilbert  Mfg.  Co.,  223 
Gibs,  John  T.,  157 
Gilbert,  Deborah,  82 

Dr.,  241 

Ebenezer,  54,  82,  173,  227 

Edw,  H.,  261 

Geo.  H.,  222-224 

Grenville  Brown,  10 

Henry,  54,  134,  143 

J.  H.  G.,  10 

Lewis  N.,  245 

Mfg.  Co.,  220 

Noah,  49 

Oliver,  54 

pet'n  for  annexation,  54 

Sarah,  49 
Gilman,  Thos.,  141 
Gilmore,  David,  157 

F.  D.,  245 

James,  144,  153 

John,  144 

Wm.,  141,  142 


INDEX 


287 


Glazier,  Rev.  Jos.,  187 
Gleason,  Nath'l,  144- 

Simeon,  144 
Glebe,  64,  83,  109,  272;  Ulegal  deed.  85; 
pet'n  for  sale,  87 

second,  86;  pet'n  for  sale,  89 
Gold,  Nathan,  14,  15,  18,  19 
Goodale,  Rev.  Mr.,  92 
Goodrich,  Dr.  Horace,  109,  241 
Gore,  Hardwick,  56,  57 

John,  272 
Gorham,  Jason,  226 
Gould,  Aaron,  180 

Abigail,  229 

Cornelia  A.,  183,  253 

Daniel,  94,  95,  96,  152,  195,  228, 
230,  233,  265,  273 

Downing,  56,  158 

Eben'r,  272 

Jeremiah,  141 

John,  56 

Leonard,  235 

Samuel,  56,  158 

Seth,  118,  120 
Grammar  school,  232 
Grand  Comer,  263 
Grants,  legislative,  34 
Gray,  Capt.  James,  136 

Joseph,  138,  140,  160 

Moses,  Jr.,  240 
Great  Bridge,  165 
Great  House,  48 

Road,  163 
Greenleaf's  works,  8 
Gren\alle  Park,  10 
Gridley,  Rev.  R.  W.,  182 
Griffin,  Benj.,  134,  227 
Grist-mill,  8,  226 

Hadley  convention,  94,  153 

Path,  161,  162 

Road,  166,  167 
Half-way  Covenant,  79, 84;  repealed,  103 
Hall,  Rev.  Aaron,  102 

Rev.  Benj.  T.,  193 

Rev.  C.  M.,  189 
Hallock,  Rev.  Jeremiah,  93,  228 
Hamilton,  John,  273,  274 
Hammond,  Thomas,  49 
Hampshire  Mfg.  Co.,  176,  220 

Alfrs.  Bank,  245 
Harding's  Mills,  8 
Hardwick  Gore,  56,  57 


Harris,  Daniel,  207 
Harv-ey,  Rev.  Jasper  P.,  110 

Rev.  John,  73 
Harwood,  Andrew,  144,  153 

Ivory,  8 

James,  134.  130 

John,  30,  208 

Jonathan,  157,  187 
Harwood's  mill.  8 
Hatch,  Rev.  Geo.  B..  185 
Hatfield  convention.  94,  153 
Haven,  James,  141-145 
Hawley.  Joseph.  74 
Healey,  Rev.  Patrick,  191 
Hemenway,  W.  A.,  242 
Hensen,  Joseph,  141 
Hickson,  Jacob,  209 
High  school,  232,  233 
Highways,  171 
Highway  districts,  175 
Hinds,  Joseph.  144 

Solomon,  144 
Hitchcock,  Calvin,  236 

Dea.,  10 
Hbcon,  Joseph,  142,  147 
Hollingsworth  Grant.  35.  43,  45,  47.  163 

Richard,  pet'n,  43-45 
Hooker,  John,  144 
Hopewell,  22 

Hopkins,  W.  S.  B..  197-199 
Housten,  Daniel,  59 
How,  Dr.  Estes.  241 

John.  276 

Joseph,  276 

Rev.  Mr..  63 
Howard,  Thomas,  157 
Howe,  Col.  Samuel,  143 

Solomon,  111 
Howell,  198,  199 
Hudgens,  Samuel.  63 
Huggins,  Bridget,  82 
Huiginn.  Rev.  E.  J.  V.,  193 
Hunn,  Rev.  Nath'l,  263 

Ruth,  31,  263,  265 
Hunt,  Abner,  269,  270 

Jonathan.  6,  275 
Huntress.  Rev.  Edward  S..  110 
Hupom.  Phineas,  174 
Hutchings,  Dr.  C,  241 
Hyde,  Henry  K.,  245 

Othniel,  265 

Wm.,  230.  237 

Wm.  S.,  245 


288 


INDEX 


Incorporation  of  town,  114,  115 

Indenture,  2-i-26 

Indians,  5 

Indian  cemetery,  196 

Indian  ownership,  33 

Ingersol,  Capt.,  135 

Inns,  116-122 

Irish  meadow,  11,  270 

Iron  furnace,  7 

Jenkins,  John,  11 

Stephen,  143,  146 

Thomas,  95,  96.  139,  140.  141,  174 
Jennison,  Geo.  C,  226 
Jones,  Ehiathan,  245 

Rev.  Isaac,  70,  84 

Rev.  J.  F.,  188 

Rev.  Nelson  B.,  187 
Jordan,  Edmund,  135 

Miles,  141,  142 
Judd,  Rev.  Benj.,  93,  96,  97 

Kee,  Stewart,  141,  142 
Ketridge,  Dr..  241 
Keyes,  Gershom,  34 
Kilburn,  John,  278 
Kilham.  Chas.,  133 
King,  Albigense.  158 

Dr.  Rufus,  111.  234,  241.  272.  273 

John.  58.  61 
Kingsfield,  6 
Kingston,  6 

Knap,  Ebenezer.  134,  136 
Knight.  Wm.  S..  226 
Knights,  Elijah.  141.  142 
Knowlton.  Daniel.  135 

Lafayette's  visit.  120 
Lamb  &  Co..  33.  37.  38 
Lamberton,  James.  160.  274,  275 

James,  2d,  158 

Reuben,  158 

Seth,  175,  275 
Lammon,   James,   117,    134,    138,    150. 
228,  265,  268 

James,  Jr.,  264,  265 

Samuel,  146,  264,  265 

Samuel,  Jr.,  158 
Lane,  Joseph,  245 
Law  book,  155 
Lawton,  James,  268 
Lawton's  brickyard,  10 
Lazel,  Abner,  145 


Jacob,  141,  142.  149.  160,  266,  267 

Joshua,  144 
Lazell,  Reuben,  157,  158 

Russell,  157 
Lease,  terms  of,  24-26 
Legate,  Thomas,  265,  266.  271 
Legislative  grants,  34 
Lessees  of  manour,  30 
Letters,  257-260 
Lewis,  Benj.,  158 

Jesse,  272,  274 
Lewis,  Milton,  253 

Richard,  274 
Lewis's  Mills,  176 
Lexington  alarm,  140,  141 
Library,  233;   incorporation,  236 
Lincoln,  Benj.,  268 

Farm,  266 

Gen.,  95 
Lin  ten,  Joseph,  145 
Lonetown,  15,  23 
Long  Hill.  11,  269 

Swamp,  11,  270 
Loomis,  Mrs.  Cynthia,  120 
Louisburg,  131 
Lull,  Benj..  63.  66.  74.  76 

James.  134 

John,  134 
Lutterman.  Rev.  E.  W.,  189 
Lyman,  Aaron,  28,  75 

Capt.  Oliver.  143 

Jotham,  134 
Lynde,  Benj.,  17.  18 
Lyon,  Henry,  190 

Machine  shop,  7 
Mack  Neill.  Alex..  39.  278 
Mackee.  Andrew.  28 
Mackilwean,  EUinor.  6 

James.  6 
Maclain.  Wm..  149 

Magoon,  Alex..  150.  278;    petition  of. 
53 

Catharine.  82 

farm  annexed,  53 

Isaac,  30,  39.  49,  53,  59,  61,  63,  82, 
134,  138,  174,  274,  278 

Isaac,  Jr.,  39,  59 

Isaac,  2d.  82,  119 

John,  149 

mills,  49,  174 
Magus,  John,  33 
Manour  of  Peace,  7.  12.  23;  advantages 


INDEX 


2H!> 


of,  29;   division,  2G1;   survey  of, 
20,  24 
Manufactures,  219 

domestic.  128,  130 
Marks,  Joseph,  59 
Marsh,  Aaron,  157 

Amos,  135 

Benj.,  149 

Elijah,  133,  135 

Ephraim,  59,  136 

family,  276 

Foster,  158 

Joel,  143 

Jonathan,  141,  IGO,  227,  276 

Joseph,  59,  145,  148,  268,  276 

Judah,  42,  59,  134,  135,  141,  147, 
159,  276 

Noah,  136 

Ruth,  276 

Samuel,  6,  50 

Silas,  147 

Thomas,  6,  42,  60,  61,  95,  96,  136, 
143,  275,  276 

Tract,  7,  41,  275;  petition,  41;  sur- 
vey, 48 
Marsh's  mills,  7,  8,  173 
Mass.  and  Conn,  boundary,  12 
Maynerd,  Jonathan,  158 
McClintock,  David,  149 

James,  141,  142,  270 

Joseph,  142 

Thomas,  274 
McDougal  Mt.,  3 
McGown,  Wm.,  149 
Mclntier,  Ephraim,  276 
McKee,  Andrew,  263 
McMaster,  Clark,  265 

Joshua,  119 
McMichel,  Benj.,  273 

James,  173,  174 
McMickle,  Joseph,  134 
McNitt,  Barnard,  61 
McWharter,  Samuel,  142 
Meeting-house,  66;      committee,     107; 

location,  67;  rebuilt,  105 
Memorial  of  Timothy  Brown,  132 
Merrett,  Jerusha,  82 
Merrit,  Benj.,  144 

Ichabod, 149 
Merritt,  Isaac,  168 

John,  266 

vs.  Nivins,  267 
Methodist  church,  188 


Militia  bounty,  158 

Mill  I'ond,  29 

Miller,  Abi^jail,  31,  261.  2fl8 

Hezekiah  Utad.  2(;!).  271 

John,  270 

Joseph,  269 

William,  268,  209,  271 
Mills.  7.  8 

Rev.  Mr..  63 
Miner,  Dr.  D.  VV..  241 
Mini,sterial  fund.  109 
Minute  men,  141 
Mirick,  Rev.  Noah,  70 
Mitchell,  James,  173 
Moody,  Dr.  An.son,  241 
Moran,  Rev.  Wm.,  191 
Morris,  Chas.,  265,  271 

Mary,  31,  271 
Morse,  Calvin,  158,  176,  279 

Phille,  118,  119,  128,  144,  159,  279 

Samuel,  226 
Morton,  Rev.  Mr.,  67 

Robert,  267 

Wm.,  143.  149 
Moss.  Rev.  Reuben,  72,  228,  229,  233, 
273;    acceptance.   99;    call,   99 
death,   104;     derangement,    10 1 
greeting,  102;  ministry,  102-105 
ordination,  101 
Moulton,  Robert,  30,  32 
Mt.  Carmel  cemetery,  196 
Mt.  Misery,  22,  263 
Muddy  Brook,  3,  6,  7,  43 
Murphy,  Rev.  John  II.,  192 
Music  hall.  238 

Name,  pet'n  to  change,  156 

Narragansett  Co.,  20 

Narrows,  163 

Nashaway  trail,  162 

Nasowanna,  Lawrence,  33 

Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  235 

Nenameseck,  4;    river.  5;    square.  10, 

176 
New  Braintree.  171 

Farm,  22 

Harbor.  22 

Marlborough,  6 
Newcome's  Mills,  8 
Newman,  Henry,  14 
Newspapers,  241-244 
Newton,  Oliver,  147 
Nichols,  Joshua,  269 


290 


INDEX 


Nivins,  Robert,  31,  32 

Nixon,  Col.,  148 

Nod,  22,  2G3 

Nolten,  Daniel,  VSi 

Nyo,  Ebenezer,  10,  96,  117,  Ul,  228,  272 

Jabez,  144,  145 

Joseph,  144,  145 
Nye's  Tavern,  155 

Oath  of  allegiance,  154 
Old  tavern  house,  120 

tenor,  126 
Olds,  Comfort,  268 

Jonathan,  134,  141,  142,  268 

Moses,  135 
Omstead,  Israel,  48,  59,  63,  133,  278 

Jabez,  39,  47-52,   59,   61,   63,  74, 
131,  135,  163,  165,  277,  278 

Jeremiah,  39,  59,  163,  164,  277,  278 

Martha,  49,  82 

Moses,  135 

Simeon,  137 

Thankful,  49 
Omstcad's  mills,  7,  48,  49,  173,  174 
Osborne,  John,  118,  158 
Otis  Co.,  220-222 
Our  Lady  of  Mt.  Carmcl  Ch.,  192 
Overing,  John  Henry,  2GG.  267 

Packard,  Rev.  Winslow,  92,  93 
Paddock,  Ephraim,  143,  274 
Paget,  Deborah,  31,  266 

Henry,  266 
Paige,  Benj.,  56,  158,  159 

Timothy,  275 

Wm.,  119,  137,  151,  228,  270 

Wm.,  Jr.,  89,  272 
Palmer  and  Ware  line,  57 

Centre,  58 

Journal,  243 
Paper  mill,  9 

Parish,  58;    bounds,  66;  division,  180; 
life  and  growth,  81 ;  petition  for, 
58 
Parochial  school,  192 
Parker,  Mr.,  95 
Parks,  10 
Patrick,  Jolm,  264 

Samuel,  119,  266 

Thomas,  157,  269,  270 

Thomas,  Jr.,  271 

Wm.,  143,  234 
Patril,  Joseph,  134,  137,  147 


Patterson,  David,  144 

Joseph,  30,  117,  264,  265,  268 

Solomon,  146 

Wm.,  59 
Patterson's  Saw-mill,  9 
Pemberton,  Eben'r,  14,  18 
Pepper,  Esther,  274 

Ezra,  269 

Isaac,  94,  118,  157,  191,  227,  233. 
266,  272 

Jacob,  125 

Joseph,  263 

Stephen,  234 

S.  P.,  243 
Pepper's  Mill,  4,  9 
Pepperell,  Sir  Wm.,  131 
Penny  Brook,  4 
Perkins,  Rev.  A.  E.  P.,  184 
Perry,  Rev.  A.  T.,  165 
Peters,  Lydia  E.,  226 
Petersham  and  Monson  turnpike,  121 
Petitions  concerning  fine,  150-153 
Pews,  sale  of,  97 
Phelps  hotel,  121 

Samuel,  190 
Physicians,  240 
Pierce,  Dr.  Daniel,  241 

Seth,  190,  237 
Pierpont,  Robert,  269 
Pike,  Abigail,  82 
Pitkin,  Wm.,  14 
Pleasant  St.,  175 
Poor  farm,  240 
Poor,  support  of,  123,  124 
Pope,  Edmund,  55 

Edward,  158 
Popple  Hill,  22 
Porter,  Col.,  143,  147 
Post-office,  119 
Post  Road,  168,  170 

John,  39,  59,  02,  278 
Pottaquattuck  Mt.,  37 

Pond,  37,  162 
Powers,  Isaac,  144 

James,  144 

Jeremiah,  144 

Nahum,  136 
Pratt,  David,  136 

Nathan,  149 
Preble,  Col.  Jedidiah,  135 
Precinct,  63;  clerks,  250 
Province  tax,  125 
Provincial  congress,  139,  140 


INDEX 


201 


Prince,  Samuel,  45,  48;   farm  of,  1C3 
Pulsifcr,  John,  30 

David,  173,  267 
Pumping  station,  10 
Pumroy,  Ebcn'r,  28 
Putnam,  Jolm  Henry,  149 
Pynchon,  John,  32 

Wm.,  61 
Pynchon's  Path,  1G2 

Quabbin  Island,  7,  56 
Quabog  River,  5,  167 
Quinton,  John,  118,  228,  264,  265 

Joseph,  265 

Thomas,  118.  260 

Ragged  Hill,  188 
Railroads,  244 
Rattlesnake  Brook,  4 
Rawson,  Edward,  72 

Rev.  Griudall,  63,  67,  81,  272;  ac- 
ceptance, 68;  at  Milton,  80;  at 
Yarmouth,  78,  79;  character,  71, 
72;  death,  80;  lawsuits,  80; 
ordination,  69;  petition,  74,  253; 
resignation,  77;  salary,  67 
Raymond,  Benj.,  277 

John,  277 
Read,  David,  30 

heirs  agreement,  31;  deed,  83;  sec- 
ond glebe,  86 
Hezekiah,  263 
Hon.  John,  15, 18,  19,  20,  22,  59,  64; 

death,  30;  estate,  12 
John,  Jr.,  31,  263,  264 
Wm.,  22,  31,  266 

vs.  Moulton,  32,  267;  vs.  Nivins,  20, 
32,  267 
Records  of  church  destroyed,  79,  81 
Reed,  David,  266,  270 

Rev.  Augustus  B.,  72,  109 
Regimental  orders,  157 
Religious  awakening,  78 
Reminiscence,  A,  253 
Representatives,  251 
Reservoir  park,  10 
Revenue,  surplus,  238-240 
Revolution,  period  of,  138 
Rice,  Joel,  237,  245 
Rev.  Caleb,  70 
Richardson,  Dr.  E.  C,  241 
Rich's  tavern,  162 


Road  commissioners,  169 
Roads  and  bridj^cs,  161 
Robinson,  Capt.  Sanuiel,  135 

Ichaljod,  279 

John,  279 
Rogers,  Daniel,  149 

Jonathan,  30,   116,  138,   HO.   I(i9. 
241,  274 

Nath'l,  141,  142 

Rebecca,  82 

Richard,  50,  74,  82,  1:54,  275 

Robert,  279 

Thomas,  274 
Rood,  .Jonathan,  6,  42,  43,  275 
Ross,  Ansel,  226 
Ruggles,  Col.,  135 

Joseph,  277 
Rutherford,  Andrew,  138,  172 

John,  141 


St.  Mary's  Church,  192;  cemetery,  190 
St.   \Yilliams'  Clmrch,    191;    cemetery, 

196 
Saffcry,  Solomon,  12 
Sage,  Orrin,  196,  233,  215 
Salmon  fishing,  4 
Saltonstall,  Gurdon,  14,  17,  18 
Savings  bank,  245 
Sawyer,  Rev.  Roland  D.,  110 
Schools,  227,  228 
Scotch-Irish,  73 
Scott,  Abijah,  134,  137 

Asaph,  136 

Capt.  Ephraim,  156-159 

Joseph,  24,  66,  74,  82,  85,  133,  136, 
137,  168,  227 

Mary,  81 

Wm.,  168 
Sears,  Col.,  149 
Second  Cong.  Soc,  110 
Secular  matters,  113 
Selectmen,  250 
Select  school,  230 
Settling  on  the  land,  33 
Shaw,  Daniel,  275 

David,  61 

Erwin,  275 

John,  55,  118,  230 

John,  2d,  275 

Samuel,  61 

Seth,  153,  264,  271 
Shaw's  tavern,  169 


292 


INDEX 


Shays'  Rebellion,  93-97,  153 
Shearer,  Wm.,  144 
Sheehan.  Rev.  John  T.,  192 
Sheldon  grant,  35 
John,  35,  36 
Shepard,  Gen.,  95 

Silas,  145 
Sheppard,  Deborah,  268 

Wm.,  268-271 
Sherman,  Benson,  266 

Ebenezer,  55 

Prince,  141,  144,  147 

Reuben,  144,  145,  266 

Rev.  David,  189 

Samuel,  80,  134,  138,  149,  160,  267 

Snow,  55 

Thomas,  141,  142,  157,  158 
Shingle  machine,  9 
Shiple,  Benj.,  59 
Shumway,  Erasmus,  228 
Sibley,  Beaman  B.,  226 
Simons,  Benj.,  275 

Joseph,  59,  61,  62,  158,  275 

Jotham,  149 

Judah,  141 
Skinner,  Rev.  Thomas,  70,  71 
Slab  City,  9 
Slate.  Daniel,  134 
Smith,  Abner,  75 

Capt.  Elijah,  136 

Job,  135,  136 

Maverick,  95,  96,  138,  275,  270 

Moses,  133 

Reuben,  266 

Rev.  Harvey,  110 

Robert,  274 

Samuel,  67,  82,  137 
Snell,  Melville,  8,  225 

Nathan,  158 

Polycarpus,  225 

Thomas,  8,  158,  225,  269 

Wm.,  170,  269 
Snow,  Eli,  109,  123,  129,  158,  231,  235 
Snow's  Mills,  8;   Pond,  4 
Soldier's  monument,  200 
Southgate,  Steward,  28,  39,  279 
Sparhawk,  Col.  Nathan,  147 
Specie,  127 

Spooner,  Ebenezer,  173 
HprimjJlcUl  It''publican,  243 
Spurr,  Capt.,  148 
Squatters,  34,  37,  38 
Stacey,  Joel,  274 


Stage  drivers,  122 
Stanford,  Robert,  278 
Stearnes,  Dr.,  241 
Stearns,  Alonzo,  9 

Isaac,  9 
Stebbins,  Abraham,  141,  142,  143,  147 
Steel,  John,  111 
Steele,  Thomas,  145 
Stephens,  Silas,  145 
Stevens,  Chas.  A.,  189.  222,  223,  224, 
237,  245 

Ebenezer,  189 

Levi,  275 

Mfg.  Co.,  220 
Stoddard,  Anthony,  14,  17,  19 

John,  14,  17.  18 
Stone  grist-mill,  176,  226 

Rev.  Mr.,  79 

Simeon,  144 
Stony  Brook,  21 
Stores,  123 
Storrs,  John  H.,  238 
Straw  industry,  224 
Streets,  names  changed.  17G 
Strickland,  James,  149 
Strong,  Gov.,  157 
Summary,  280 
Surplus  revenue,  238-240 
Swamp,  Long,  11 
Swift  River,  3 

bridge,  22,  167,  172,  175,  176 

Hill,  3 


Takels,  Alex.,  142 
Talcott,  John,  15 
Tallcott,  Ruth,  22 
Tannery,  8,  9 
Taverns,  10,  116-122 
Taxation,  127,  128 
Taxes,  petition,  76 
Taylor,  Edmund,  30,  268 

Elizabeth,  82 

Ensign,  137 

James,  137 
Temperance,  182,  183 
Thatcher,  Col.  Joseph,  72 
Thayer,  Abraham,  227 

Capt.  Abel,  142 

Rev.  Ezra,  79,  173,  269-273;  ac- 
ceptance, 83;  call,  83;  c-haracler, 
89;  death.  89;  epitaph.  90; 
grave-stone,  90;   library,  91,  92; 


INDEX 


293 


ordination,  84;   receipt,  86;   set- 
tlement, 83,  85;   will,  90 
Third  Cong.  Soc.,  183 
Thomas,  David,  135 

Dr.  Wm.,  241 

Nehemiah,  144,  276 
Thompson,  Benj.,  137,  264 

Henry,  264,  266 

John,  61,  137,  263,  264 

Noah,  141,  263,  264 

Silas,  111 
Thrasher,  George,  230 
Thurston,  Daniel,  82 

Paul,  6,  43,  59,  240,  275 
Tisdale,  John,  175,  266 

John  Read,  30 
Tolman's  Tannery,  8 
Topliff,  Rensalaer,  226 
Town  clerks,  250;  hall,  236-238;  incor- 
poration,   114,    115;     privileges, 
pet'n.  113,  114 
Training  ground,  10 
Trinity  Church,  193 
Trumbull,  Rev.  Bcnj.,  101 
Turnpike,  122,  171 
Tuttle,  Rev.  Mr.,  93 

Rev.  Wm.  G.,  110 
Tyler,  Royal,  119 

Unitarian  ministers,  190 
Society,  189 

Vaill,  Rev.  Joseph,  182 
Village  Gazette,  241 
Virgin,  Martha,  82 

Wm.,  82 
Vose,  Nath'l,  270 

Oliver,  266 


Wagon  factory,  9 
Wainwright,  John,  14,  17 
Walker,  Capt.  Sylvanus,  142 

Dr.,  241 
War,  French  and  Indian,  131 

of  1812,  156 

Revolutionary,  138 
Ward,  Rev.  Ephraim,  102 
Ware  American,  243 

and  Palmer  line,  57 
Ware  factory  village,  110 
Ware  Gazette,  243 


Ware  Hotel,  121 

Mfg.  Co.,  219 

name  of,  4;   silualioii,  3 

Ofering,  243 

Rev.  Sumu<l,  108,  235 

River  Nerm,  2 14 

River  Precinct,  7 

River  Valley,  3 

Standard,  243 
Warner,  Jonathan,  60 
Warning  out  of  town,  125 
Warren  road,  172 
Warrant  of  1742,  61 
Water  power,  219 
Waterford.  150 
Watkins,  David,  158 
Watts'  Psalms,  110 
Webster,  Rev.  Palatiah,  70 
Weekhj  Courier,  243 
Weeks,  Cornelius,  142,  208 
Weirs,  6shing,  4 
Wekabaug  Pond,  103 
Wendall,  Jacob,  17,  19 
West  Ware,  175 

Paper  Co.,  9 
Western  line,  56 
Wetherby,  Caleb,  277 
Wethrell,  S.  J.,  235 
Wheeler,  John,  145 

Randall,  144 
Whitcomb,  Lot,  118 
White,  John,  14,  17,  19 

Rev.  David,  70,  84 
Whitney,  George,  141 

Ger-sham,  141,  142,  145 

Gersham  Jr.,  141,  142 

Samuel  A.,  190 
Whittakcr,  Elmira,  120 
Whurtcr,  Samuel,  141 
Wiggins,  Rev.  J.  E.,  188 
Wiggles  worth.  Col.,  144 
Wilder,  Nath'l,  141,  143 

S.  V.  S.,  177-181 
Williams,  Elisha.  14,  17 

Col.  Israel,  133,  136 
Willis,  Noah,  200 
Wilson,  Josiah,  143,  144 

Samuel,  158 

Winn,  Rev.  Fred  E.,  110 
Winslow,  Dr.  Shubal,  211 

Elijah,  274 

Thomas,  140 
Wood,  Benj..  144 


294 


INDEX 


Dr.  Obadiah,  241,  278 

J.  T.  Co.,  224 
Woodbridge,  Col.  Ruggles,  141,  145 

Rev.  J.  E.,  184 
Woodward,  Josiah,  55 

Nath'l,  12 
Worcester  Aegis,  243 
Worthiugton,  Col.  AYm.,  135 


Wright,  Jane,  81 

Joseph,  38,  74,  81 
Joseph,  Jr.,  82 

Yale,  Dr.  John,  241 

Rev.  Cyrus,  184 
Yarmouth,  73,  78 
Y'ouiig  Men's  Lib.  Assoc,  236 


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